What does the future hold for agricolleges?

Education is vital to the transformation of South Africa's agriculture industry, as well as the country's economic growth. However, many agricultural colleges are in disarray. Magda du Toit reports on this crucial issue.

- Magda du Toit

There is an intrinsic link between education and the economy. Government's National Development Plan (NDP) 2030 states that improved education leads to higher employment and earnings, while economic growth in turn helps to generate the resources needed to improve education.

According to various stakeholders in South Africa's agriculture sector, one of the many challenges hindering the country's economic growth is the poor state of educational programmes at national institutions. They also agree that this is having a negative effect on the country's unemployment rate.

In its Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the first quarter of 2022, Statistics South Africa reported that about 63,9% of the country's youth (those aged 15 to 24) were unemployed, while the national unemployment rate was 34,5%.

The existence of a skills shortage in South Africa is real, and it needs to be addressed with urgency, says Dr Pieter Taljaard, CEO of Grain SA. For this reason, skills development should be the intended output of education and training efforts, as this could be a key enabler of economic growth.

In a chapter devoted to agricultural education and training, The Agri Handbook for South Africa states that the skills needed for agricultural production, food security and sustainable rural development include:

• Literacy and numeracy;

• Decision-making and problem-solving skills;

• Technical and vocational skills in agriculture, as well as land and water management;

• Leadership, planning and management skills;

• Social, interpersonal and communication skills;

• Negotiation and facilitation skills;

• Critical thinking necessary for fostering innovation and change;

• Food preservation and processing skills;