Youth in the North West say they are struggling to enter agricultural markets locally and internationally. This emerged at a two-day Youth in Agriculture summit in Klerksdorp, North West.
Youth in farming are coming up with methods to address their needs in the agricultural sector. They want to expand into commercial farming but international markets are limited.
“We would spend years without actually getting markets and with poultry when you don’t have markets you can’t do anything with your business,” deplores one participant.
Another young person attending the summit says “I would like to see inspirational documentaries playing on TV because I am not just the only person watching.”
A young rural livestock farmer says rural emerging farmers find it difficult to participate in commercial markets.
Livestock Farmer Kenalemang Mohapi says, “The challenge for me is the requirements that they wanted for me to do. They wanted me to contain whatever they needed from the cow; it must stay in a room; must be massage and they wanted the vet to visit it every two weeks. So, that was a challenge for me and I could not do it.”
However, government says the youth has a brighter future in the Agricultural sector.
MEC for Agriculture Desbo Mohono says, “We want to make it cool, we want to make it fashionable, the future is big, and the future is there. If you can listen to their ideas, they are mind blowing that’s why I said lets have this dialogue. There is a beautiful future for our youth in this country especially in agriculture.”
The youth in Agriculture Summit ended on Wednesday.
