Eleven unemployed agricultural graduates in the John Taolo Gaetsewe District municipality (JTG) have applauded government for aiding them through the scourge of unemployment. This comes after government placed them in various sectors of agriculture, forestry and fisheries to reduce the high youth unemployment rate.
Currently, the unemployment rate remained unchanged over the first quarter of 2018 compared to the fourth quarter of 2017. Although South Africa’s unemployment rate is high for both youth and adults, the unemployment rate among young people was 38,2%. This implies that more than one in every three young people in the labour force did not have a job in the first quarter of 2018. Source: (Statssa.gov.za)
The graduates highlighted that if other government departments can follow suit, the battle against unemployed graduates can be overcomed. They also challenged private sectors to come to the party for others like them. The 11 from JTG have now joined the 26 other graduates of whom 11 were appointed by Dry Fruits Technical Services in the ZF Mqcawu District and 13 in Pixley ka Seme District municipality and two from Namakwa. This brings the total to 37 graduates who are now employed. The remaining two from Namakwa are expected to start at the Rooibos Tea Plant in Nieuwoudtville.
The objectives of the initiative include the following:
- Providing unemployed agricultural, forestry and fisheries graduates with opportunities to gain on-the job experience;
- Contributing to the acceleration of food production through the development of a pool of competent young producers;
- Bridge the gap of ageing producers and reduce high unemployment rate among youth and also to fight poverty;
- Provide a platform for active participation of youth in the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sector.
- Build future agricultural entrepreneurs
- Teach the culture of agri-business and scientific approaches to agricultural production.
The initiative is a collaboration between the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development and Commodity Organisations/farms. The initiative speaks to the National Development Plan (NDP) and the National Youth Policy (NYP). Government has identified agriculture as a key job driver targeting the sector to create about 1 million jobs by 2030. Francis Baard is the only remaining district where this initiative still needs to be implemented.
Mr Phemelo Manankong –External Communications Officer @ 053 802 5622 or 066 303 8177 pmanankong@ncpg.gov.za
www.agrinc.gov.za
Directorate: Communications Services – Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development.