Growing support from the commercial farmers for our in-service training programme

In the last quarter we have had four new students join our programme. We are always encouraged to hear what motivates these youth to pursue a qualification in agriculture with many believing that it will provide the opportunity to assist the communities from which they come and open up a route out of poverty. Ms Mbalizami Hadebe, a student from Donnybrook said the following: “agriculture can totally eradicate poverty and needs vibrant and passionate youth to be part of the sector.” Mbali studied at the Coastal TVET College and began her training in May on the Pitouts farm where she is involved in the calf rearing side of their business.

HGA is pleased that for the first time since the programme’s inception, we are in a position where we have more farmers wanting to take on students than we have funding to be able to place them and so we have been submitting funding proposals to potential partners in the private sector in order to take advantage of these opportunities. We would like to thank the commercial farming community in our district for paving the way for the youth to be able to complete their qualifications and enter the working world where we trust they will be influential.