Question NW3518 to the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development
20 December 2023 - NW3518
Cebekhulu, Inkosi RN to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development
Whether her department has contributed towards the training and upskilling of youth agri-preneurs in rural areas in the current financial year; if not, why not; if so, (a) in what way was the upskilling done and (b) what total (i) number of youths were beneficiaries and (ii) what amount was spent?
Reply:
Yes.
a) The Department is contributing towards the training and upskilling of youth agri-preneurs in rural areas through various training interventions categorised as follows:
- Production: goat, poultry, crops, animals, maize, livestock and beef production, artificial insemination, hydroponics etc;
- Business and Entrepreneurship: bookkeeping, business management, financial management, record keeping, marketing, new venture creation, farm management, veld management, South African Good Agricultural Practice (SA-GAP), access to funding, conflict management etc.;
- Occupation Health and Safety: safety use of chemicals, animal health, fire management, biosecurity etc.; and
- Agro – Processing: grain processing, value adding, packaging etc.
(b)(i) Total beneficiaries who received training through the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme (CASP) during the current financial year (2023/24) is 10 085 of which 4 134 are youth and in addition, 394 beneficiaries of State Land Allocation Programme also received training of which 239 are youth.
NARYSEC Programme: 128 young people have been trained and certified in the agricultural sector in the 2023/ 2024 Financial Year to date with a budget of R7 026 050.72 (Annexure A: NARYSEC Interventions).
A total of 195 young people under the NARYSEC Programme is currently busy with skills development in the agricultural sector for the 2023/24 Financial Year, and the estimated budget is R10 961 643 (Annexure A: NARYSEC Interventions).
2023/ 2024 Financial Year Intakes for the NARYSEC Programme on different sectors:
- Annexure B: July 2022 Intake – 702 youth people;
- Annexure C: May 2023 Intake – 700 young people;
- Annexure D: September 2023 Intake – 845 young people; and
- Annexure E: October 2023 Intake – 735 young people.
(ii) R50 425 000 was spent on CASP beneficiaries and R1 195 000 was spent on State Land beneficiaries.
ANNEXURE A OF NA-QUES 3518 OF 2023– NARYSEC INTERVENTIONS
Table 1: NARYSEC Youth Trained and Certified in the Agricultural Sector in the 2023/24 Financial Year: The table below details the number of NARYSEC youth trained and certified in the Agricultural Sector for the 2023/24 financial year to date, per province, per learning programme, as well as the type of agribusiness these youth were recruited for, and the associated budget:
|
No. |
Province |
No. Youth |
Learning Programme |
Agribusiness Opportunity |
Budget |
|
1. |
Eastern Cape |
13 |
Poultry & Piggery Production |
In Joe Gqabi and OR Tambo Districts, the Municipalities and Traditional Councils have made projects and land available for NARYSEC participants to be linked to projects and start their own agricultural enterprises. |
R529 100.00 |
|
2. |
Free State |
20 |
Animal Production |
The Trompsburg and Zastron Farming and Projects Cooperatives have committed to expose the young people who are decedents of the beneficiaries to take an active role in the operation of the projects. Support will be provided to establish these youth into enterprises. |
R680 000.00 |
|
27 |
Plant Production |
The Bakoena Tribal Authority has committed to support the enterprise formed with a portion of land for fruit and vegetable production. Support will be provided to establish these youth into enterprises. |
R877 500.00 |
||
|
3. |
KZN |
19 |
Tractor & Basic Farm Implements Maintenance |
Youth trained to support DALRRD supported enterprises. |
R847 020.00 |
|
4. |
Limpopo |
3 |
Crop Production |
Youth being supported to start enterprises through DALRRD Community Enterprise Development (CED) unit. |
R58 500.00 |
|
5. |
Northern Cape |
8 |
Bee Keeping & Honey Production |
The Ba-Ga Bareki Traditional Authority has committed to supply the 8 youth with land to start-up and run a Bee Keeping and Honey Production business. |
R526 150.72 |
|
6. |
North West |
15 |
Animal Production |
The Bangwaketse bo-Rra Motingoe Trust requested that these youth be trained in Animal and Plant Production, as the farm has both grain and animal production components. The farmer who is leasing the farm has offered to mentor them for a year after they complete their training, whilst paying them a salary. The mentoring will help the youth to apply their skills in a commercial set-up. This will result in the Bangwaketse bo-Rra Motingoe Trust having a skilled workforce when the lease lapses and the community take over the operation of the farm. |
R1 384 650.00 |
|
23 |
Plant Production |
R2 123 130.00 |
|||
|
GRAND TOTAL |
128 |
R7 026 050.72 |
Table 2: NARYSEC Youth Currently Busy with Skills Development in the Agricultural Sector for the 2023/24 Financial Year. The table below details the number of NARYSEC youth currently busy with skills development in the Agricultural Sector for this financial year per province, per learning programme, as well as the type of agribusiness these youth were recruited for, and the associated budget:
|
No. |
Province |
No. Youth |
Learning Programme |
Agribusiness Opportunity |
Budget |
|
1. |
Eastern Cape |
10 |
Grain Production |
In Joe Gqabi and OR Tambo Districts, the Municipalities and Traditional Councils have made projects and land available for NARYSEC participants to be linked to projects and start their own agricultural enterprises. |
R370 300.00 |
|
10 |
Tea Production |
R367 700.00 |
|||
|
2. |
Free State |
15 |
Fruit & Vegetable Production |
The Edenville farming and Projects Cooperatives has committed to expose the young people who are decedents of the beneficiaries to take an active role in the operation of the projects. Support will be provided to establish these youth into enterprises. |
R487 500.00 |
|
3. |
Gauteng |
20 |
Poultry Production |
These youth will be grouped into 4 poultry cooperatives and will also be issued with starter packs to become operational. |
R1 449 200.00 |
|
4. |
KZN |
19 |
Plant Production |
Youth being trained to support DALRRD supported enterprises. |
R751 526.00 |
|
10 |
Animal Production |
Enterprises to be supported by DALRRD CED units. |
R387 620.00 |
||
|
13 |
Poultry Production |
Enterprises to be supported by DALRRD CED units. |
R463 892.00 |
||
|
5. |
Limpopo |
20 |
Vegetable Production |
Land has been made available by Ellias Motsoaledi and Greater Letaba Municipalities and the Traditional Council, for these youth to start their own agricultural enterprises. |
R814 000.00 |
|
10 |
Mixed Farming |
Maruleng, Waterberg, Vhembe and Sekhukhune District Municipalities have committed to absorbing these youth upon completion of training and to also support those interested in starting their own enterprises. |
R378 475.00 |
||
|
10 |
Poultry Production |
The Bantwane Traditional Council has provided 10 Hectares of land where these youth will be supported to start their own enterprise. The Provincial Department of Agriculture has also committed to absorb these youth into funded agricultural enterprises for experiential training. |
R635 000.00 |
||
|
6. |
North West |
10 |
Animal Production |
Ten (10) youth from Jericho in the Bojanala District formed a cooperative, namely JBS Co-operative whose main aim is beef production. |
R923 100.00 |
|
17 |
Plant Production |
The Ramotlakane CPA Executive Committee identified a portion of land that will be allocated to the youth after training. The portion is approximately 22 hectares and has a functional irrigation system, water pump and fenced. |
R1 569 270.00 |
||
|
7. |
Western Cape |
31 |
Agriculture Maintenance Supervisor |
Nine (9) youth will work with the Thembelihle farming project as a way of introducing the youth into Farming. The youth are the descendants of the beneficiaries. The project has been largely funded by the Department. |
R2 364 060.00 |
|
GRAND TOTAL |
195 |
R10 961 643.00 |
Please note that the total budget per learning programme includes the costs related to Training, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Toolboxes, and Training Stipend (R3 500.00 per month per learner).