By Kopano Dibakwane
About 58 agricultural graduates received certificates from Mpumalanga MEC for agriculture, rural development, land and environmental affairs(DARDLEA), Busi Shiba, last week.
The proud graduates completed their on-the-field experience in farms they were placed in across the province in the last 24 months.
” You must do all you can to be your own bosses, by starting and running your own businesses, in order to play a meaningful role in the fight against hunger, poverty, food insecurity and unemployment,” said MEC Shiba.
According to DARDLEA, the national department of agriculture developed a Young Producer and Entrepreneurs strategy, which stipulates that unemployed agricultural graduates must be placed in smallholder and commercial farms that are willing to help them with practical experience in farm management, production, health and safety, business and entrepreneurship, amongst others.
MEC Shiba thanked the Mpumalanga farmers who continue to work with the department in the placement of graduates on their farms for the on-the-job exposure.
” The programme cannot be a success if farmers are not willingly accommodating the graduates, training and mentoring them,” said Shiba.
The graduates were encouraged to apply for government support in many available avenues and programmes such as Masibuyele Esibayeni, CASP(comprehensive agricultural support programme), and funding through NDA(national development agency).
Further presentations were made on tips to assist the graduates to get their applications successful and the appropriate criterion to be followed in order to qualify. The MEC handed over gifts to those in attendance.
