Duchy College’s new Farm Director on farming’s future

In this edition of our Farmer Focus series, we caught up with the new Farm Director at Duchy College, Alex Hollands.

He has a wealth of experience and a background firmly grounded in both formal agricultural training and practical farm leadership.

And he knows the vital lessons his 350 students need to take with them when they begin working on the dairy, beef, sheep and arable enterprises of the future.

Alex moved to Cornwall with his family last year with an agriculture degree from Harper Adams University and eight years’ experience as Farm Manager at the Chichester College Group behind him. 
And he brings a mix of practical farm management, education-sector experience and an interest in innovation-led agriculture.

He knows the college can’t work in isolation and his students need to understand the wider issues facing agriculture today, from geopolitical upheavals to climate change.

He said: “It’s my job to collate and make sense of some of the great studies and research that’s been conducted over the last five years to help identify things on farm we can improve on.

“This in turn helps our students understand the constantly evolving sector. It’s not about doing things the way they have always been done - it’s about learning how to make better use of what we have while being at the cutting edge of sustainability, yield improvements, breeding and the environment.

“It’s also about looking to the future of our working farm and estate. Looking at our facilities and planning our long-term investment. Keeping my eyes and ears open to new possibilities that will in turn teach our students about the changing nature of farming.”

Across 500 acres, with 135 sheep and plans to expand the dairy herd from 185 to 220, the campus offers a wide range of courses for students interested in farming life.

And the college is positioning itself as a key training route for future generations of land managers and agri-business professionals, with a broad agricultural offering centred on its Duchy College Stoke Climsland campus. 

The college’s current line-up spans entry-level, technical, apprenticeship and degree routes, giving school leavers and adult learners several ways into the sector. 

Apprenticeship options also form part of the picture, including pathways like General Farm Worker and Livestock Unit Technician, helping learners build skills while already in employment. 

And all the courses have a strong emphasis on livestock and crop production, farm business management, sustainability, climate pressures and the growing role of science and technology in agricultural decision-making. 

Alex said: “We’re looking to recruit an eighth member of the team soon and each person teaches a specific area. We blend the work, the academic teaching and the experience with what needs to get done on farm every day. It’s the gold standard in teaching.

“But it can be a balancing act to keep the commerciality of the business while making sure we cater to the needs of the students.”

Alex said agricultural courses were getting more popular largely because of social media but he admitted there had also been a shift in the culture.

“Gone are the days when people were prepared to work 90 hour weeks. People now want more of a work, life balance to protect their mental health,” he said.

“It’s a high stress job with margins constantly squeezed and an ever-changing geopolitical landscape and people entering the sector are more clued up. They understand new innovations, technology and science is the answer for future food production. 

“It’s always going to be an uncertain world but this is an exciting time to be working in farming. And there are so many ways to learn new skills. At Duchy we give students the background knowledge they need while teaching them to think differently.”

The students have access to extensive farmed land, livestock units, arable crops and machinery, giving them the chance to connect theory with hands-on experience. 

And Alex and the college are keen for every course to reflect the challenges now shaping the industry, adding: “Not only are our students introduced to core husbandry and production systems, but also to wider topics like government policy and legislation, innovation and the future of the rural economy.”

With employers increasingly looking for recruits who can combine technical know-how with adaptability, the college’s multi-level offer is aimed at helping learners step into roles ranging from farm management and consultancy to research, advisory work and broader agri-food careers. 

For a sector under pressure to evolve, Duchy College’s message is clear - practical training, industry relevance and progression opportunities remain central to preparing the workforce of tomorrow.

There is even a planned bespoke butchery course to be rolled out this September to give students the ability to take their learning straight from farm to fork. 

Mole Valley Farmers’ nutritionists and agronomists have been supplying the products and advice needed to keep the college, its students and livestock thriving.

Alex concluded: “We’ve always had great support from the team at Mole Valley Farmers and we have a good working relationship. They have done everything we have asked of them and we couldn’t ask for any more. We are all in it for the long-haul and the sake of the sector’s future.”

For more information about our focus farms visit molevalleyfeedsolutions.com/focus-farms .