DRDAR committed to support youth
The Eastern Cape Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform (DRDAR) is committed to ensuring that it invests the available resources in its bid it make the lucrative agriculture sector to “fashionable and lit” among young people. This was said the DRDAR Amathole District Director Thembinkosi Boko during the celebrations of the youth in agriculture event at Zintukwini village in Ngqamakhwe which was attended by youth representative from all the local municipalities in the district and the Buffalo City Metro Municipality. A least 14 projects, which are making strides with their agriculture-related enterprises from all the municipalities covering district, were awarded vouchers of R15 000 each to boast their businesses. Boko said the department had a five-year plan that will ensure youngsters are supported with infrastructure, skills development and inputs as well as access to the markets so that they business can make an income that will enhance job creation and efforts to fight poverty. He noted that the youth was reluctant to venture into agriculture-related enterprises but DRDAR was trying to show the youngsters that “agriculture is bling, fashionable and lit” like other business and has lasting business spin-offs. Phumlani Ntloko, a qualified young engineer who left his job to focus in farming, encouraged the youth venture into the agriculture sector because it had positive spin-offs but warned that it was not an overnight success as they battled for about two years to produce quality vegetables. He told the attendees that the cabbage in their fields was “already sold” to a prominent supermarket, adding that: “the demand for the vegetables is very high hence I make a plea for young people to get into production of food. “We are able to meet the target that is needed by the market so young people should roll up their sleeves and work the land,” he said. DRDAR has been supporting the Ntloko’s Zintukwini project with the seedlings and technical advice from the extension and advisory services. The Department is also planning on delivering a generator to pump water for irrigation on the farm. “The support we are being given by DRDAR is humbling. We love this work and we appreciate every support we get so that we can grow,” said Ntloko, adding that the project was also supported by the Department of Small Business Development with a tractor and the National Youth Development Agency with a funding of R50 000. District Youth in Agriculture and Rural Development (YARD) treasurer Mfezeko Ntshabo urged the youth not to wait for government handouts to kickstart their businesses.