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The MEC of the Department, Mase Manopole, says that she recently hosted a virtual meeting with the 75 agricultural graduates, who are part of an internship programme on Northern Cape farms. 

The 75 graduates will soon be exiting the programme, which is a National Youth Development initiative, making way for new agricultural graduates, says Manopole.

She says they were welcomed by her at a ceremony in Upington last year.

The graduates are undergoing on-the-job training in areas such as production, agri-processing, farm management, governance, business, and entrepreneurship with the guidance of experienced mentors, adds Manopole.

She says that the graduates spoke of the challenges and successes of their programme, stating that language barriers played a big role. This allows the department to address those challenges adequately. She says that they asked the students to voice their challenges and successes for constant improvement of the internship programme going forward.

“Some of them will be absorbed by these commercial farmers and some students have already shown an interest in the sector. They want to venture and actively participate in food production,” says Manopole.

Manopole notes the success of the initiative, stating that students within the programme voiced their appreciation towards the programme, the exposure to the industry they are fortunate to have, and the information they received which they can now implement going forward. The students expressed their accumulation of information about drought control, locust control and many other tips and tricks that will assist them while farming.

She concludes by calling on more young people to partake in the sector. The department will do what it can to attract more young farmers and women for the growth sustainability of the agricultural sector.

OFM News/Lee Simmons