Are you agriculture’s next singing sensation?

Agriculture’s favourite talent competition, Agri’s Got Talent, is back with a bang! They are inviting all agricultural workers in the deciduous fruit, citrus and wine industries to submit their applications.

The competition, which started eight years ago, seeks to highlight talented agri workers and encourage them to share their amazing talents with the world.

This year, the competition celebrates agricultural workers who contributed towards the sector by ensuring it remained resilient during deep uncertainty during the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to Thea van Zyl, events coordinator for Agri’s Got Talent (AGT), music is the medium that ties all people together and transcends language barriers and cultural differences.

She says the competition shows that the farming community is as diverse as Mzansi, that why it’s open to everyone, from workers in the field to those that work in packhouses or wine cellars.

“We are not trying to find the next international singing sensation, although we have had competitors who can sing with the best of the best.

“We are providing an opportunity for people to challenge themselves and, with the help of professional facilitators, discover something new in themselves during the competition,” explains Van Zyl.

Apart from being a singing competition, AGT is also a social development programme for agricultural workers in the fruit and wine industries. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

The programme – which is a joint venture between Hortgro, the Citrus Growers’ Association, Vinpro, South African Table Grape Industry), and the Western Cape department of agriculture – is encouraging entrants to sing songs in their home languages.

“We are a diverse nation with different mother tongues and cultures. But music is the medium that ties all people together and transcends language barriers and cultural differences.”
Thea van Zyl, events coordinator for Agri’s Got Talent

Last year’s winner, Faith Nogemane, a Grabow resident, says winning the competition not only demonstrated her ability to sing, but it also boosted her confidence and helped her confront her stage fright.

Nogemane won the judges over with her stunning performance titled “Amazulu” and “Stand up for love”.

She says the workshops that were given by AGT gave her an opportunity to understand music from a different perspective. “I began singing at a very young age at church, and I always envisioned that one day my talent would blossom.”

Career and personal development

According to Van Zyl, the competition entails two workshops. During the first workshop the top 10 contestants all participate in a training week. During this week they receive voice training, social media training, and a personal development programme hosted by Procare.

They will also get make-overs, including new clothes and self-care packages.

After the week of training, the grand finale will take place. Here, the top 10 will each perform two songs in front of a panel of judges and a live audience at a gala event, where the winner of AGT 2022 will be crowned.

The second workshop focuses on the winners and their employer. During this workshop the winners obtains soft skills such as communication, conflict management, as well as time and money management.

Nogemane,’s advice to prospective candidates is to trust themselves because no one can present themselves better than they can. She also advises candidates to carry their voice and face the world.

Here’s how to enter

This competition is not only for farmworkers in the Western cape, but for workers in all nine provinces of the country.

Contestants can enter the competition by sending voice recordings or videos via WhatsApp to 082 372 1577 or email to info@agrisgottalent.com. Entries to the competition opened on 15 March 2022 and is set to close on 30 June 2022.

So, whether you’re into pop, RnB, acoustic, rap, or classical music, Agri’s Got Talent wants to hear it all, Van Zyl says.