Hundreds of Eastern Cape school kids learn why agriculture needs them

“Agriculture needs young people and it is becoming increasingly important that we introduce learners to the amazing opportunities within the industry.”

These were the words of Jac Jordaan, a leading farmer from Somerset East, on day one of the second stretch of the VKB Food For Mzansi Agri Career Roadshow which kicked off in Eastern Cape today. Food For Mzansi partnered with the Eastern Cape Department of Education for the Eastern Cape leg of the roadshow.

The halls were packed and the atmosphere electrifying as hundreds of learners from various high schools across Cookhouse and Somerset East attended the career exhibitions, ready to make informed decisions about their respective futures.

Students from Gill College in Somerset West posing for the camera.

Jordaan says that the sooner students are able to determine their strengths and what they are interested in, the better. He adds, “Initiatives like today are proving to be very important to the future of agriculture. The sector needs fresh faces with innovative farming methods and solutions.”

Exhibitors and learners were pleasantly surprised by a visit from the Mayor of the Blue Crane Municipality, Bonisile Manxoweni. He thanked the exhibitors, including Food For Mzansi and their agricultural partners, for coming to the district.

“We need to grow our kids and this career exhibition will expose learners to various career opportunities,” exclaimed Manxoweni.

Learners that flooded to the Food For Mzansi exhibition stand, said they expected the exhibition to be a boring, but have been pleasantly surprised. “I stepped in here thinking that it was going to be a long day of boring speeches, but this day was critical for me. I learned that I have other options and should explore them before making my final decision,” said a gr. 10 learner, Dannino Adams.

Aeroville students having fun at Agri Career Roadshow. — Aeroville Senior Secondary School students having fun at the VKB Food For Mzansi Agri Career Roadshow.

Tessa Juries, who is a subject advisor at the Eastern Cape Department of Education’s office in Graaff-Reinet, says they are pleased with the number of learners who turned out this year and hope that they will use this opportunity to establish a career interest, including agriculture.

“When you ask grade 12 learners what they would like to do, some of them still don’t know. Career expos like today are extremely vital to school students, especially grade 9 learners,” says Juries.

Food For Mzansi is looking forward to meeting even more learners at the following stops on our VKB Food For Mzansi Agri Career Roadshow. Late registrations are still accepted for the scheduled Western Cape and Limpopo career days.