UFH students milking it for all it’s worth
Club closes gap between theory and experience
ACADEMICS at the University of Fort Hare’s agricultural faculty have joined forces with established stakeholders in the industry to help students gain experience in preparation for the working environment.
The UFH Agricultural Skills Development Club, first formulated during the same period last year, has seen 70 students waking up from as early as 4am to gain experience working on the university’s dairy farm.
Transport to the farm is sponsored by the Agricultural Rural Development Research Institution (Ardri) in a bid to save time and ensure the safety of the students.
A total of 15 other students have had the opportunity to work on the Chungwa Heritage and Chicory Farm in Alexandria, near Port Elizabeth with one having since been permanently employed through the initiative.
The launch was attended by faculty lecturers, alumni, Chungwa farmowner Unathi Speirs and stakeholder representatives.
Club chairman Yanga Diniso said they saw a gap between the theory in the academic work they were doing at the institution with the practical skills required in the field.
“This is a student-driven initiative dedicated to equipping agriculture students with production skills and experience in preparation for the dynamic agriculture industry.
“The club aims to groom and produce an all-rounded agriculture graduate, one which will be highly skilled and qualified in their designated degree,” said Diniso.
“The club has been running projects together with different stakeholders, such as the Fort Hare dairy farm, French South African Agricultural Institute (F’SAGRI) and Chungwa heritage and chicory farms, to mention just a few.”
Club spokesman Yongama Zantsi said it was through these partnerships that many of the students first learn about agriparks.
“For the first time in our studies we learnt about agriparks through the French South African Agricultural Institute.
“Our curriculum tells us about looking after animals, but the processing and packaging process is something very new to us.”
Bachelor of Science (Agriculture) livestock and pasture graduate Aphiwe Mangoloti, who is currently a training manager at a commercial dairy farm in Keiskammahoek, said it helped to take the initiative and visit the farm during the holidays.
“I had already been accepted to do my masters straight from my junior degree, which was a great opportunity, but I decided to work at the farm and gain more experience and now I am a trainee manager,” he said.
Nelson Mandela University agriculture graduate Sanele Vela, who is training some of the students on a farm he is managing, urged students to make the most of the farms and resources owned by UFH.
Animal breed lecturer Maliviwe Mpayipeli said students in the faculty had a lot of opportunity to grow and change the dire situation of the province.
“We’re in a province where there is so much food insecurity, underdevelopment, crime, all of which are affecting the youth.
“The students here are the very ones who can turn around the entire economy of the Eastern Cape, reducing poverty, creating jobs and food security,” he said. — mbalit@dispatch.