The fantastic four
Youth entrepreneurship programme addresses unemployment in South Africa.
Powered by SAB’s flagship youth entrepreneurship programme, SAB KickStart, an urban agriculture programme, which aims to identify and invest hydroponic technology into high-potential farming businesses, has announced nine finalists who will receive training and investment to grow their farming businesses.
Four of the finalists are from Magaliesburg and Tarlton.
With Stats SA revealing in October that unemployment was at its highest level in 11 years, the programme aims to help create jobs through youth-owned farms. Black African women are the most vulnerable, facing an unemployment rate of 34,5 per cent, compared to black men with an unemployment rate of 31,3 per cent.
SAB KickStart is aimed at youth entrepreneurs aged between 18 and 35. The programme has been running since 1995 to develop, invest and grow revenue-generating youth businesses in order to create jobs. Now in its second year, the programme invests in high-potential farming businesses by advancing farming businesses with technology that will grow the businesses and create lasting employment.
“As an organisation that is imbedded in agriculture, our intention is to attract young people to the sector by alleviating the high barriers to entry, such as technical and operational resources,” said Phumzile Chifunyise, Enterprise Development Manager, SAB and AB InBev Africa.
The finalists are:
• Lungi Robela – owner of Robela Farm, which produces lettuce and cucumber
• Rinae Tshikangavhadzi – owner of Woman In Action farm, which produces kale, beans, spinach
• Vutlhari Chauke – owner of VT Harvest, which currently produces peppers and tomatoes
• Katlego Meso – owner of Katlego Malesa Farming, which currently produces peppers and tomatoes
“The finalists will complete a 15-month business development programme, which provides technical and operational training, hydroponic infrastructure investment, industry-based mentorship, as well as market access,” said Chifunyise.
SAB has partnered with Made with Rural to help bring the programme to life and create sustainable jobs. “We are growing the presence of young farmers through the application of hydroponic technology to scale their business and link them to markets,” she said.
Leeko Makoene, CEO at Made with Rural, said the company had designed a youth agribusiness development programme that consisted of innovative elements to maximise resources and deliver measurable value “without compromising SAB’s investment mandate. From the way due diligence was conducted, to the structure of the boot camp, infrastructure sourcing and capital optimisation, we have ensured every action benefits the farmer.”
After careful sourcing and a due diligence process to select prospective participants, nine agripreneurs were identified for the programme. The programme started with a boot camp in October attended by young farmers, many of whom are self-taught without any form of formal training. The boot camp is not only classroom-based, but also incorporates elements of on-the-job training led by industry experts, fireside master classes, field work and site visits to established commercial farms. The content further covered exposure to advanced seed care, seedling production, computerised irrigation and fertigation, and fertilisation and soil management master classes conducted by experts. Following this will be rolling out infrastructure investment and business development support.
The finalists will complete the programme in December 2020.
