The farming population across the world is aging. Even here in South Africa, the majority of farmers are sixty years and older, posing a huge threat to future food production in the country.
Most young people also prefer careers or businesses in other sectors, either because of negative associations and stigmas associated with the industry or because they are ill informed of all the opportunities and new developments in the industry.
FarmSol aims to address this, by raising awareness of the benefits of agricultural production and its ability to transform communities, as well as the way in which production has changed thanks to new technological developments. The company also aims to reduce barriers to entry by empowering young farmers with production loans, mentoring and skills transfers and access to production technologies.
The company has launched a FarmSol Youth Ambassador Desk in 2020 that specifically focuses on addressing the needs of young farmers.
AS of 2020 FarmSol also appoints a Youth Ambassador annually, to empower and create awareness of opportunities for young people in agriculture and raise awareness of the issues and struggles that are preventing young farmers from reaching their full potential.
In 2020, Njabulo Mbokana, who farms on leased land in Ermelo and Lothair in Mpumalanga, was appointed as the first FarmSol Youth Ambassador, after she had won the 2019 SAB FarmSol Young Emerging Farmer of the Year Award.
South Africa’s agricultural sector is one of the world’s most diverse, consisting of corporate and private intensive and extensive crop ...