Future leaders take knowledge home
BRINGING with them the hopes and ambitions that they can enact change in their home countries, the 26-strong delegation of future African leaders learned a lot from their time in Toowoomba.
The contingent, from 13 different African countries, were selected by the Australian Government as awardees to take on a six-week study program with the University of Queensland’s school of Agriculture and Food Sciences.
The group visited the city, touring the Botanical Gardens and meeting with farmers and suppliers in the hopes that they may be able to take back some knowledge to help grow the agriculture business in Africa - and with it, reduce the alarming rates of poverty on the continent.
“For us mostly we want to stimulate our economies to be able to be able to reduce poverty,” awardee Muma Bwalya said.
“Obviously this will lead into growth for our economies which will see an uptake of jobs created.”
Billed as the future leaders of industry and government in their home countries, their trip was an important one.
One of the key points they were hoping to take away was how agriculture could co-exist with the mining industry, something which Ms Bwalya said the Darling Downs set a shining example.
“Basically, you will know that most African countries develop our economies on the mining industry but that is a depleting industry and we’re looking to diversify into agribusiness,” she said.
The group spent a week in Toowoomba and will now continue their studies before heading back home to Africa.