More young people needed to revitalise agriculture

AGRI-PULSE - RUSTENBURG -Youth unemployment remains one of the most pressing challenges South Africa faces. According to Statistics SA, there is a 46.1% unemployment rate among those aged 15 to 36. What is concerning is that this rate has climbed by almost 10% from 36.9% to 46.1% over the last 10 years.

- 

As far as agriculture is concerned, roughly 5% of the formal workforce is employed in the sector and encouragingly, jobs in primary agriculture rose 6% from 2023 to 2024, reaching about 941 000 jobs. Despite this, agriculture is often overlooked as a career path for young people. Entry-level jobs for agricultural graduates remain scarce, while those who chose to become agricultural entrepreneurs have to overcome barriers like access to land, finance and infrastructure.

Investing in future farmers

In response to this, initiatives like the Beefmaster Group's bursary programme are helping to create opportunities for young people in agriculture. Since 2023, the leading supplier of world-class beef products has awarded fully funded bursaries to six promising students – three men and three women between the ages of 21 and 23.

Pursuing a passion for agriculture