Its Youth Day in South Africa, and today we do not only commemorate the youth of 1976 who sacrificed their lives for our freedom, but we also look at how the contributions of today’s youth can brighten the future of our country.
Thoko Didiza, minister of agriculture, land reform and rural development, praises today’s youth for contributing to growing the country’s economy. Didiza is featured on this week’s edition of the Farmer’s Inside Track podcast.
“In the public sector, young people are developing policies and laws that govern our society,” she says.
There is still more work to be done, however. Many social ills are holding back our country. Didiza believes the youth need to work towards eradicating this.
“[The youth] have to build an inclusive society, where we will look at each other just as South Africans, without looking at our racial backgrounds. They have a task in building an equal society, where men and women, boys and girls, respect and value one another. A society where gender-based violence will be a thing of the past.”
The minister also highlights the importance of existing infrastructure in the advancement of the country and says that this infrastructure is a heritage for the youth.
“This is the heritage that they only have. A heritage that they must build. Some of us were part of those who dismantled apartheid and are part of transcending into a new society, but it is the fruits of that new society that our young people and their children will benefit from. And therefore, it is incumbent on the young people of today to know that they are the builders of today and the future.”
Other podcast highlights:
This week’s episode of the world’s best agri news podcast also has other highlights for the agricultural sector:
- Going off-grid: Load shedding has been an expensive disruption for most business owners, including farmers. Today we chat to Dr Colin Ohloff, the environmental officer for Fair Cape Dairies, about the dairy farm’s recent move off of the grid.
- Farmer’s tip of the week: Our farmer’s tip of the week comes from Western Cape vegetable farmer Mawande Sigwinta. Sigwinta’s foray into farming sprang from a desire to provide better quality food to his community.
- Book of the week: Our book of the week is The Soul of Sorbet by Ian Fuhr. It is relevant reading matter for any business owner and is especially useful for those dealing with the South African market. Carolien Samson, Head of Strategy and Sustainability at Access Bank SA, reviews this book.
- Farmer Development: FarmSol managing director, Aron Kole, gives us some insight into how the company identifies new partners throughout the supply chain in order to help new farmers grow their prospects.
- Soil Sistas: This week’s #SoilSista, powered by Food For Mzansi and Corteva Agriscience, is Mpumalanga crop farmer Cleopatra Bandas. Her agri-business has markets in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique.
- Electricity matters: Agri SA agricultural economist Kulani Siweya takes us through President Cyril Ramaphosa’s surprise announcement about energy reform in the country.
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