The South African Table Grape Industry (SATI) is an advocate for skills development throughout the table grape industry.
The focus lies with the table grape farming community, and the South African Table Grape Industry association works with previously disadvantaged farmers to enhance their skills, and thereby uplift their communities. SATI hosts short courses, training days and workshops around the country.
The Modular Course in Table Grape Production is presented by SATI, ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij and Elsenburg Agriculture College.
The target group of the course are people who are already working in the table or raisin grape industry (supervisors, foremen and production managers), as well as experienced farm workers who have the potential to progress to these positions in future. They already have practical experience of table or raisin grape production, but have no formal academic qualification in viticulture.
The aim of this course is to teach the target groups the “why’s” behind production practices. The modular course makes agricultural training accessible for persons from previously disadvantaged communities, as well as those who cannot attend full time agricultural training programmes, due to financial and/or practical reasons.
The presenters are experts from the ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij, SATI, Stellenbosch University and SA Dried Fruit. Topics that are covered include: viticultural aspects of table and raisin grape production; harvesting and post-harvest handling of table grapes; overview of the raisin grape industry as well as harvesting and post-harvest handling of raisin grapes (offered in the Orange River course).
Supporting modules focus on soil and nutrition, diseases and pests, vineyard cultivation, as well as irrigation. The South African Table Grape Industry allocates funds for subsidising the course fee, subjected to certain requirements.
Bursaries are awarded annually to South African students of colour (especially land reform beneficiaries and their children), who demonstrate a keen desire to pursue careers in the table grape industry or supporting industries. In addition, SATI’s long-term objective is to generate interest from the children of farm workers to pursue careers in the industry.
Table grapes are grapes produced for fresh consumption as a fruit. This sets them apart from grapes produced for making grape juice, wine or...