The IFP in KwaZulu-Natal calls on matriculants who received suitable results to pursue tertiary studies in agriculture as KZN has tremendous agricultural potential and profitable farming can be attractive to young farmers.
“There is a lot of concern about engaging youth in the agricultural sector. In many ways young people are not interested in a career in agriculture because they don’t see much prospect in the future of agriculture and they don’t see it as an attractive profession in the long-run.,” said IFP Spokesperson on Agriculture, Mr Nhlanhla Msimango, MPL.
“There is an urgent task at hand and this requires a multidisciplinary approach. Agriculture development practitioners, policy makers, the private sector, government agencies and other related professionals must articulate a new vision for agriculture that can be attractive to young people and align them with their aspirations and interests. To do this, agriculture must be transformed from purely subsistence farming to commercial ventures, where young students undertake agriculture as a business and view it as a career that is economically viable,” continued Mr Msimango.
“There is also a need to change the agriculture curriculum in the universities to ensure that it attracts the interest of the youth and to also translate the research activities into direct action on the field for the benefit of farmers. More emphasis should also be put on creating more vocational training centres for the youth to revive agriculture in the province,” concluded Msimango.
The IFP believes that the challenge we must take up as leaders, policy makers and the private sector in SA’s agriculture development is to build capacities of the youth and equip them to address the challenges in food supply and view agriculture as a viable career path.
Issued by:
Mr Nhlanhla Msimango,MPL, IFP Spokesperson on Agriculture, 074 259 0820
For Media Enquiries:
IFP KZN Provincial Legislature Media Liaison Officer, Mr Phendulani Biyase, 073 024 5675
