Listen up, Mzansi! If you’ve always wanted to study towards a career in agriculture, than here’s your chance. The department of agriculture, land reform and rural development has opened up bursary opportunities in different fields of study for the 2023 academic year.
The bursaries – which target previously disadvantage and impoverished persons from poverty-stricken and rural communities – cover tuition, accommodation, books, meals as well as a monthly allowance.
Department spokesperson Reggie Ngcobo says the bursaries are available because the department has a mandate to provide career development services to the young people of Mzansi. It has endeavoured to fulfil this mandate for the past two decades and will continue to do so, especially for youth from previously disadvantaged backgrounds.
He adds that the department has been working with provincial departments to raise awareness on the programme through exhibitions, school visits and advertising.
“[It is] a structured programme where schools are adopted and bursaries are made available to qualifying learners. The programme has been implemented in various schools in rural areas across the country as well as schools in farm areas where children of farmworkers are the main targeted beneficiaries.”
Information on careers and opportunities in the sector are also distributed at departmental events like imbizos and food celebrations, which usually take place in deep rural areas.
Guaranteed jobs attract young people
Marianne van der Laarse, CEO of Agrijob, applauds government’s efforts and adds that it should be aggressively promoted amid the rising unemployment rate in the country.
“I am aware that some students or school learners do not apply [for the bursaries], as they think the national student financial aid scheme (NSFAS) is a quicker solution.
Van der Laarse says it’s important for government to ensure that students – upon completing their studies – are absorbed into the sector. “Government needs to take the hand of the private sector to employ graduates with the department’s bursaries, as I don’t think the department can accommodate all and offer proper jobs to all.
“If bursary graduates know they will get a job opportunity in the private sector, it will attract more young people.”
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Bursaries are currently available in these fields of study:
- B.Sc. Bioresource Engineering (Agricultural engineering)
- Bachelor of Veteriinary Science (B.V.Sc.)
- B.Sc. Animal Science
- B.Sc. Entomology
- B.Sc. Food Science
- B.Sc. Plant Pathology
- B.Sc. Viticulture and Oenology
- National Diploma: Food Technology
- B.Sc. Land Surveying/Geomatics
- B.Sc. Town/Urban and Regional Planning
- B.Sc. Geo-Informatics/Geographic Information Science
- National Diploma or Bachelors Degree in Geomatics/Land Surveying/GIS
- National Diploma or Bachelors Degree in Town/urban and Regionall Planning
- Bursaries for Postgraduate studies in agriculture, land reform and rural development
Ready to start the process and bag that bursary opportunity? Follow these links:
Click here for more information.
Click here to download application form (Undergraduate studies).
Click here to download application form (Full-time post-graduate studies).
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