October 28, 2024
The programme, supported by IVC Evidensia, aims to raise awareness of diversity issues and foster a more inclusive industry.
AgDiversity consists of three online modules and offers a low cost of £30. It covers key topics like recognising workplace biases, championing inclusivity, and improving communication with people from diverse backgrounds. By building DEI awareness, the course hopes to boost diversity across the industry.
Today, agriculture remains one of the least diverse sectors in the UK. It is estimated that Black People or People of Colour (BPOC) account for only 1% of the industry, compared to 17% of the general population.
AgDiversity seeks to close this gap by educating industry professionals on the importance of diversity. This helps create welcoming environments for future farm vets and land-based workers.
Navaratnam emphasised the importance of DEI education in tackling prejudice:
“There is such a lack of knowledge about diversity and inclusion, and we all have in-built biases. This course was created to bring awareness and understanding into the sector.”
“Change has been happening, but it’s not fast enough. There are a lot of young people wanting to come into the farm sector and their diversity is changing.
“We need a sector that will make them feel like they belong, and if that’s not the case we’ll never recruit and retain the vets we need.
“I’m delighted that IVC Evidensia is at the forefront of bringing about that change.”
Navaratnam began his career in farm practice before moving into pharmaceuticals and teaching at the Royal University of Agriculture. He later joined IVC Evidensia in 2023.
Since the beginning of his career, he was always aware of the challenges he faced:
“From university on, I was almost always the only person like me.”
“Farm vetting was very isolated, and I reached a point where no matter my experience, people judged my abilities based on how I looked.
“I felt I had no support from clinicians or the profession. With that as a barrier, I couldn’t see a future and left to work in industry where there was diversity and also relevant processes in place.”
In 2016, Navaratnam co-founded the British Veterinary Ethnicity and Diversity Society (BVEDS). This platform sparked discussions about the profession and soon expanded into the agricultural sector. Later he was awarded the Nuffield Farming Scholarship, where his published report helped shape the AgDiversity course.
Navaratnam is now recognised as a committed DEI advocate, as he continually works to educate on diversity in the agricultural sector. Last year, he was awarded an OBE for his services to inclusion within the BVEDS.
To support its roll out, IVC Evidensia Farm Vets is encouraging all practices to complete AgDiversity.
“IVC Evidensia Farm Vets has committed to getting everyone in this side of the business to do the course,” Navaratnam affirms.
“We will be leaders in diversity, equity and inclusion and show the sector how an organisation can fully embrace this.”