Agriculture is the primary sector of our economy. Apart from being the source of food, agricultural produce serves as the raw materials for several industries.
Agriculture is one of the main contributors to our Gross Domestic Product and Globally, around 24% of agro-food export value comes from imported inputs. Trade plays a crucial role in providing livelihoods for farmers and people employed along the food supply chain. It also contributes to reducing food insecurity across the globe and provides greater choice in consumer goods.
Agriculture forms the basis of many other economies in the world. Ours is an agricultural country and since time immemorial, farmers have been working relentlessly to provide food for us. However, the farmers who work to meet the food requirements of the ever-growing population of our country, lack the basic amenities and resources.
Coming to the predicament of most small scale farmers in South Africa, it is undeniable that they are underpaid for the efforts they put into their work. They earn their livelihood by providing food for the rest of the population, but even today, many farmers’ families do not have the basic amenities like land, electricity, education, healthcare facilities, right at their hands. Even today, many farmers suffer from low crop yield due to a lack of irrigation facilities or proper land. The modern resources or inputs for sustainable farming are still not available to them due to the history of the country, financial status and also lack of knowledge. They provide food for us, yet, many of our small scale farmers struggle to meet their families’ food requirements.
Ekurhuleni Agricultural College is at the forefront of trying to solve the skills gap in the agricultural sector by equiping young farmers with various practical based skills in the field. Our teaching methods have been tried and tested and the young farmers that leave our campus, leave as not just better human beings but well knowledgeable farmers, ready to take on the world and till the land while reducing the food in insecurity in our country and in Africa.
The new generation of farmers that we are creating are now adopting new advanced techniques of farming. We empart enterprenuiship skills into these young farmers so that they have a choice of choosing to get employed or start their own businesses. Farming is a business and it should be treated as such, knowing this makes our graduates to be well prepared for the financial world out there.
29 October 2022 was such an amazing day for the Ekurhuleni Agricultural College, staff, students, parents and other stakeholders. It was the graduation day that marked the end of one journey and the beginning of a new one for our former students.
Parents were overjoyed seeing their children graduating into young men and women who are ready to take charge of the agricultural future of our nation.
We wish all our graduates a prosperous future, bumper havests, riches and all their hearts desires. We are very hopeful that this is the cream de la cream generation of farmers that is going to change the story of farming in South Africa.
Take a look at some of the procedings at our graduation ceremony.
