By Lebogang Mashala
As Youth Month comes to an end, many organisations, including government departments and various entities, have been hosting a series of events and programmes to commemorate National Youth Day.
In the agricultural industry, the ongoing theme has been: How can we attract young people to this field? How do we make agriculture appealing?
In my nearly twenty years in the agricultural sector, I have frequently struggled with this idea of making agriculture appealing to young people. I don’t believe there is a significant issue with attracting youth to the field. I began my career as an agricultural journalist in my mid-twenties and became aware of several agricultural colleges at that time. As far as I can recall, many universities have been offering agricultural qualifications for a long time before I entered the industry.
I haven’t conducted, nor have I come across, a comprehensive study on the number of agricultural graduates since our democracy began in 1994. However, I can confidently say that thousands of young people have graduated from universities and colleges, and this trend continues to this day. The question that confounds me is: Where are these graduates now? Over the years, what have we done to retain those who chose agriculture not because it was trendy but because they genuinely loved it?
In discussions with various individuals on this topic, I have become increasingly convinced that we do not need marketing campaigns or slogans to attract youth to agriculture; instead, we need a plan to retain those who are already pursuing it.
In a recent conversation with Sylvester Lubambo, a development specialist at AFGRI Farmer Development, he mentioned he receives thousands of applications each year from university students for his internship programme. However, he can only accommodate about five of these young people. I believe this applies to many other organisations as well. This then raises a critical question: Where do the rest of these graduates end up?
Statistics South Africa recently revealed young people (aged between 15 and 34) make up more than a third of the South African population, yet unemployment in this age group is as high as 40-50%. Among the sampled rural households, 51.5% are unemployed but actively seeking employment, while approximately 10% are self-employed.
Although agriculture has not traditionally been seen as a “cool” profession, an increasing number of South Africa’s youth are becoming involved in the sector. Over the years, African Farming has featured many stories of promising and thriving young people who have become farmers and entrepreneurs in this field. However, this represents just a small fraction of the youth who are engaged in agriculture, whether as beginner farmers or in pursuing careers in the sector.
While it is encouraging to see young entrepreneurs drawn to farming, it remains crucial to focus on how we can retain this new talent and perhaps even attract back those who have already given up and turned to other pursuits. With the country’s ever-growing population, ensuring food security for future generations is essential.
Youth involvement in agriculture in South Africa is crucial for ensuring food security and promoting economic development, yet it faces significant challenges. While some young people are actively engaged in farming, participation remains limited due to various barriers to entry.
Despite the increasing interest among young people in farming in recent years, breaking into the sector can be challenging for aspiring young farmers. Key barriers include a lack of land ownership, high input costs, limited access to credit, inadequate market access, low returns, high mechanisation costs and insufficient knowledge of farming practices.
By addressing these challenges and seizing available opportunities, South Africa can harness the potential of its youth to build a thriving and sustainable agricultural sector.
My message to all the young people in agriculture, like the youth of 1976, is that you must take matters into your own hands when it comes to your development. You should never sit and watch others discuss your development without being part of those discussions. Organise yourselves and make your voices heard.
Have a blessed Youth Month!
