SOIL PREPARATION

Crop protection, like any other industry, needs smart people. Companies tuned in to their workforce understand that people want to succeed and be good at what they do. Education is just as val- ued as practical experience to achieve the professional success and status which workers strive to achieve. The Villa Academy is committed to provide a new generation of skilled people in agriculture and offers applied studies in-house, allowing our industry to be equipped with the latest knowledge, scientific facts and experience in the field of crop protection. The Villa Academy was initially launched in 2012 to establish a training program for professionals employed in the crop protection industry and to provide skilled and qualified people for the industry at large. To this day, our aim remains the same – to bring a blend of high quality academic and hands- on experience to instil expertise and confidence in people in the Agricultural industry. Our focus is straightforward; we take your existing knowledge and improve on it, allowing you to gain direct access to advanced expertise vested in well- qualified and experienced lecturers. This will allow you to reach new VILLA ACADEMY EDUCATES ON CROP PROTECTION BEST PRACTICES

heights of knowledge, understanding, service delivery, decision-making and productivity. Classes are of one to three days duration and cover diverse topics, including: viticulture, disease management, weed management, insect management, agricultural economics, handling of complaints, adjuvants, application technology, wheat and barley culti­ vation, citrus cultivation, etc. The curriculum is characterised by strong emphasis on the problem-based method of learning in which students collaborate in groups to solve real-world examples of problems. The instructor acts as a facilitator to encourage self- direction and active engagement among