The town of Morgenzon played host to this year’s Mpumalanga leg of the AgriCareers roadshow, an initiative aimed at inspiring high school learners to consider careers in agriculture. The event, which took place on Wednesday, saw local learners being introduced to the various career paths that the sector has to offer.
The Food For Mzansi initiative was hosted at the Morgenzon Landbou Akademie, and featured a panel of experts from different organisations. From computer programmer Nomusa Kenida from Tangible Africa to Liza Bohlmann, communications business partner for crop science at Bayer, the panellists shared their experiences and insights with the eager learners.
For many of the learners in attendance, the event was eye-opening, and they were amazed to learn about the variety of careers available in agriculture.
“I might be in an agricultural school, but I never really thought of agriculture as a career path before, to be honest,” said a grade 11 learner. “But after hearing the panellists speak, I’m definitely considering it as an option.”
Another learner was equally impressed by what she heard. “I’ve always been interested in the farm life, and I never realised how many opportunities there are in agriculture to make a positive impact,” she said. “I’m definitely going to explore this further.”
Problem solving and innovation
Bohlmann encouraged learners to start thinking about the real-life challenges facing agriculture, and how they could use their skills and knowledge to contribute to building a more food-secure nation.
She emphasised the importance of innovation and creativity in solving these challenges, and urged learners to think outside the box and explore new and innovative solutions. The learners left feeling inspired and empowered to play an active role in shaping the future of agriculture, and to work towards building a more sustainable and food-secure world.
Bayer has a strong commitment to supporting the development of South African agriculture. As a global leader in agriculture and food production, the company is dedicated to providing innovative solutions and technologies that help farmers improve their yields and protect their crops from pests and disease.
The company is also involved in a number of community development programmes which aims to support smallholder farmers in developing countries by providing them with access to the tools and technologies they need to improve their yields and livelihoods.
From coding to banking
Keninda who is the founder of the Mpumalanga ICT Club, was a hit with learners who wanted to learn more about the importance of coding in modern agriculture. “Agriculture is no longer just about farming,” she explained. “There are so many ways that technology can be used to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and increase yields. It is an exciting time to be involved in agriculture.”
AgriCareers learners were thrilled to learn that computer programming is becoming an increasingly vital skill in the agricultural industry.
They were also inspired by the work done by Tangible Africa to demystify coding and make it accessible to a wider audience.
The learners were impressed to discover how computer programming can be used to streamline farming processes, reduce waste and improve efficiency, ultimately leading to increased yields and profits. They were also excited to learn how technology can be used to address key challenges facing the industry, such as climate change and food security.
Participants left with a newfound appreciation for the importance of technology in agriculture, and a determination to explore the various opportunities available to them in this exciting and rapidly-evolving field.
Tangible Africa expressed its gratitude to AWS in Communities for sponsoring their participation in the AgriCareers roadshow. This is part of an ongoing partnership to introduce learners to careers in computing careers.
Motlatso Rasekgala, head of agribusiness for Standard Bank in the northern region, also shared his insights, speaking about the importance of teamwork and collaboration in the sector. “No one person can do everything on their own,” he said. “It takes a team to make things happen in agriculture, whether it is growing crops or processing them for sale. That is why it is important to work well with others and build strong relationships in the sector.”
The 2023 edition of the AgriCareers roadshow is powered by Laeveld Agrochem, Standard Bank, Kagiso Trust, Bayer, Health For Mzansi, and the South African National Seed Organisation (Sansor). Exhibitors at the Mpumalanga event included Agri Skills Transfer, Bayer, Kynoch and Intelligro, and Mooikrans Opleiding.
“Never let anyone tell you that you can’t do something,” Loutjie du Toit, an apple farmer from the Du Toit Group, told learners. He originally qualified as a veterinarian, but ended up farming which he described as his true calling.
“If you have a dream, pursue it with everything you’ve got. Because in the end, it is not about what you do, it is about how you do it, and how much passion and determination you bring to the table.”
Agricultural enterprises play a vital role in keeping rural economies alive, and this was demonstrated at the Mpumalanga leg of the AgriCareers roadshow.
Local exhibitors, including representatives of VKB Morgenzon, showcased their products and services, emphasising the importance of the agriculture sector for the region’s economic growth. It was clear that the event created an opportunity for learners to learn more about the full value chain presented by the sector.
AgriCareers learners also enjoyed the livestock exhibition presented by the Morgenzon Landbou Akademie. The learners were able to interact with the animals, ask questions and learn more about livestock farming, which was a great opportunity for them to see the practical side of the agricultural sector.
Organisers say the livestock exhibition was a great complement to the career exhibition, and helped to give the learners a more well-rounded understanding of the sector. Overall, the combination of the two exhibitions made for a fun and informative day for the learners, who left with a newfound appreciation for the world of agriculture.
A future-focused sector
The AgriCareers roadshow is just one of many initiatives aimed at promoting agriculture as a career path. With the global population expected to reach nearly 10 billion by 2050, there will be an increasing demand for food and agricultural products. As a result, there will also be a need for skilled professionals to work in the sector.
By inspiring learners to consider careers in agriculture, events like the AgriCareers roadshow are helping to build a pipeline of talent that will be vital to the future of the industry. “We need young people with fresh ideas and new perspectives to help us tackle the challenges we face,” said Johan Smith, branch manager at VKB Morgenzon.
AgriCareers learners were most excited to discover the various study options available to them at the Agri Skills Transfer and Mooikrans Opleiding exhibitions. These institutions showcased a range of accredited courses tailored to meet the different needs and aspirations of learners, including short courses, learnerships, and skills programmes.
The learners were able to learn more about the various courses on offer, and were impressed with the wealth of information and resources available to them. One learner commented on how life-changing this experience was for her, “Thanks to AgriCareers, I feel more informed and inspired than ever before, and I can’t wait to start exploring these opportunities further,” she said.
As the event drew to a close, the learners left feeling inspired and motivated to explore the many career paths that agriculture has to offer. Morgenzon head boy Ruan Lombard said it was great to see how many of his fellow learners embraced the opportunity to learn more.
“I want to thank Food For Mzansi and their partners for coming to our school this year. We realised that there are many exciting opportunities waiting for us in this growing and dynamic industry. We are all so excited to learn more and see where this path takes us.”
Food For Mzansi co-founder and editor-in-chief, Ivor Price, expressed his gratitude to the AgriCareers sponsors and exhibitors, as well as the Morgenzon Landbou Akademie, for hosting this year’s Mpumalanga leg of the roadshow. He thanked them for their support and for their contributions to the agriculture sector.
Price also acknowledged the hard work of the Morgenzon Landbou Akademie, stating that he was encouraged by their commitment to developing the next generation of agricultural leaders.
He said, “We are extremely grateful to the Morgenzon Landbou Akademie for being our host school this year. Their support has been invaluable in making this event a success. It is heartening to see the dedication and hard work of the educators and learners at this school, and we are confident that they will continue to make a significant contribution to the agriculture sector in the years to come.”
The AgriCareers roadshow will travel to Carter High School in Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal and the Newtown Hall in Jeffreys Bay in the Eastern Cape in March 2023. Teachers representing high schools in and around the area can click here to register their learners to attend.
