Skye Ward

Rabobank’s Rabo Community Fund, in collaboration with agricultural education and storytelling brand ‘George the Farmer’, has awarded book packs – totalling 1,400 books – to schools and early learning centres across the country to mark this year’s Book Week.

The specialist food and agribusiness bank – in partnership with George the Farmer – has awarded 100 book packs, each containing the full collection of 14 Australian-made George the Farmer storybooks, to primary schools, kindergartens, pre-schools, early learning centres and childcare centres around Australia.

Rabobank community engagement manager Skye Ward said the initiative, now in its fifth year, had again attracted strong interest from schools and early learning centres, with almost 180 applications received from across Australia.

“Each year we have been blown away by the response from educational institutions across the country, from large state schools in the inner city to one-teacher schools in rural localities, showing the demand for engaging resources that help children learn where their food and fibre comes from,” Ms Ward said.

“The George the Farmer books are very relatable to those students living on the land, while it gives those living in more urban areas a greater understanding and appreciation of agriculture.

“George the Farmer’s goal of connecting the next generation to the land, food and agriculture fits perfectly with one of the Rabo Community Fund’s key aims to help bridge the urban-rural divide.”

Ms Ward said the book packs had been delivered to learning institutions across the country, from Bowen Hills in inner-city Brisbane to Port Headland, in regional Western Australia, in time for Book Week celebrations, which commenced on Saturday (August 22).

Ms Ward said a new element added to the initiative this year is the ‘Meet the Author’ experience, with one educational institution in each state selected to have the opportunity to connect with George the Farmer founder and author Simone Kain, via a live online session.

“The opportunity for children to meet Simone and ask questions will hopefully spark a greater interest in the people, places and processes that go into producing the food and fibre they use every day,” she said.

The Auburn Primary School, in the mid-north of South Australia, received a George the Farmer book pack as part of the Book Week celebrations. School principal Skye Irwin said the school is incredibly grateful to be a recipient of the 2026 George the Farmer Book Competition.

“Literacy is such a critical component of developing lifelong learners, and filling our library with books that our students can connect with helps us foster a deep and lasting love of reading,” Ms Irwin said.

“Nestled in the Clare Valley, amongst the vines, crops and farming communities, agriculture is an important part of our students’ lives. A high percentage of our students come from farming families, while many others are connected to agriculture through their family’s work as mechanics, tradespeople and other important roles that support our local farming community.

“The wonderful collection of George the Farmer books has therefore been a very welcomed addition to our library. They provide our students with stories and characters that reflect their own experiences and interests, while encouraging curiosity and a love of learning.

“We are incredibly thankful for this generous contribution to our school library and for supporting our students to see themselves, their families and their community represented in the books they read.”

George the Farmer

George the Farmer began as an interactive story app in 2015. The brand has since grown to include virtual-reality experiences, music, live performances and paddock-to-plate videos on YouTube and ABC iView, as well as free, curriculum-aligned educational resources.

Ms Kain said Book Week had become one of her favourite times of the year.

“It is such a highlight to hear of little George the Farmers and Ruby Farmers dressed up in classrooms across Australia – it makes me incredibly proud,” she said. “It is really rewarding to see these characters and agricultural themes helping foster an enthusiasm for reading among young learners.”

Ms Kain said finding the right book could transform a child’s reading experience.

“Stories that reflect a child’s own world can make reading more meaningful. George the Farmer was created to provide curriculum-aligned resources for all children – not just those growing up on farms. The curriculum-aligned resources alone have helped educate 750,000 children across classrooms in Australia about food and fibre, and we’ve reached over two million children through the whole platform (books, videos, performances and resources),” she said.

“Our collaboration with Rabobank has played an important role in supporting literacy and agricultural education. Through this partnership, more than 8,000 George the Farmer books have been distributed to schools, helping strengthen children’s connection to regional communities and deepen their understanding of food and fibre.”

Rabo Community Fund

Ms Ward said the Book Week initiative has been a long-term partnership between the Rabo Community Fund and George the Farmer.

With a dedicated pool of funding for national and local initiatives, the Rabo Community Fund supports meaningful community projects. Since its launch in 2021, the fund has invested more than $4 million in national and local initiatives to help address key agribusiness and rural community challenges.

“As a global cooperative, founded by farmers, Rabobank has a long history of community engagement and now, thanks to our Rabo Community Fund, we can make an even bigger impact in the communities where our farming clients live,” Ms Ward said.

“From supporting health checks in remote areas to providing agri-educational resources for schools and hosting succession planning and financial skills workshops for farmers, our impact has been far-reaching.

“The George the Farmer partnership is a great example of how the fund can support practical, engaging initiatives that help strengthen the connection between rural and urban communities.”

A full list of educational institutions awarded George the Farmer book packs can be found here.

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