In a passionate address at the 2023 annual congress of the Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU), Ishmael Sunga, the CEO, highlighted the significance of engaging young farmers and tackling climate change within the agricultural sector. The congress, held in Polokwane, Limpopo, brought together farmers and representatives from 19 member national farmers’ associations across 12 countries in southern Africa.
Addressing the diverse audience, Sunga expressed his enthusiasm for the widespread participation from different parts of the region and beyond. He acknowledged the presence of dignitaries, including the chairman of the board, Dr Sinare Y Sinare, the representative of the German minister of agriculture, and Piet Engelbrecht, the president of Agri Limpopo, among others.
Sunga acknowledged the challenges faced by farmers, including climate change, market risks, and the need to attract younger generations to agriculture. He stressed the urgency of addressing these issues collectively as development support arrangements, commercial entities, and all stakeholders.
“We have the challenge of climate change, which is now global in nature. It is affecting not only farmers but everyone – humankind, the animal kingdom, and more,” Sunga stated, underscoring the broad impact of climate change on various aspects of society.
Attract young carbon farmers
Reflecting on the need to attract young farmers, Sunga recalled a previous meeting in Tanzania where a gentleman from Ethiopia warned that agriculture, as it stands, was on the brink of extinction within a generation.
He posed the question, “What is it that we can do collectively, as development support arrangements, as commercial entities, as everything in between, to ensure that we have a significant number of young individuals getting into the sector to drive us into the future?”
Sunga expressed the organisation’s eagerness to engage in discussions centred on attracting a significant number of young individuals to the sector. He emphasised the importance of developing an ambitious programme that focuses on climate management, entrepreneurship, and the concept of carbon farming.
“Suppose we have hundreds of thousands of carbon farmers who are young, making money out of it. If it’s possible, what would it take? It’s part of what our conversations are going to be today,” Sunga asserted, highlighting the potential of carbon farming and the economic opportunities it presents for young farmers.
Concluding his address, Sunga commended the attendees for their valuable contributions and urged them to work together to chart a prosperous path forward. The outcomes of the congress were expected to inform SACAU’s efforts in developing an ambitious programme that incorporates the interests of young farmers and addresses climate resilience.
The annual congress of SACAU serves as a vital platform for exchanging ideas, fostering collaboration, and shaping the future of agriculture in southern Africa. With Sunga’s compelling speech as a catalyst, the congress is poised to drive the necessary changes to ensure a sustainable and thriving agricultural sector in the region.
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