Country in the middle of the Atlantic ocean needs farmers

zainab quadri

January 19, 2016 5:03 PM

The government of Tristan da Cunha – the world’s remotest inhabited island – is looking for a farmer who can help advise locals on agriculture.

Country in the middle of the Atlantic ocean needs farmers

The government of Tristan da Cunha – the world’s remotest inhabited island in the middle of the Atlantic ocean – is looking for a farmer who can help advise locals on agriculture.

The job advert on the National Farmers’ Union website says: ‘The island has approximately 1,000 acres of poor grazing land for 300 cattle and 500 sheep.

‘The community produces potatoes in family-run allotments, but intend to harvest fruits, vegetables and other crops to reduce its reliance on imported foodstuffs.’

Accessible only by a six-day boat journey from South Africa or as part of epic month-long cruises through the South Atlantic Ocean, Tristan da Cunha is about as far from civilization as it gets.

The world's most remote inhabited archipelago stands 1,243 miles from Saint Helena, its closest neighbour with residents, 1,491 miles from South Africa and 2,088 miles from South America.

The job was advertised on NFU’s website which describes the job as an adviser with farming experience to help develop livestock and agriculture.

Also named 'Edinburgh of the Seven Seas', the volcanic island is home to 265 people who are keen to cut down their dependence on imported food.

The island’s economy is based on subsistence farming and fishing, with an income from royalties from commercial lobster fishing, selling of postage stamps and coins and some tourism.

The territory is looking for someone who will train current agricultural staff, has experience of island life and who will fit into the island’s unique community.

In terms of other amenities it’s got a school, a hospital and buildings for the scientific monitoring station and is strewn with volcanic rocks.

Alan Brown, head of jobs.nfuonline.com, said: ‘This is the most interesting and unique opportunity that I have seen advertised on NFU job pages to date.

With 30 years of advertising and recruitment, even I was surprised by this one!’

The job, which comes with free accommodation and travel and a salary dependent on experience, would be for two years – subject to the shipping schedule, which this year will see just nine trips to Tristan da Cunha from South Africa.

Watch the video below and see what the island looks like.