From biotech to coding: 800 E. Cape learners discover AgriCareers

When Akhona Nduneni, a Kariega learner, arrived at the Eastern Cape leg of Food For Mzansi’s AgriCareers roadshow, he could never imagine meeting a biotechnologist that would shape his future study plans.

In Kwa-Langa, the bustling township where he resides, people don’t often dream about careers in the agriculture sector, he said. “I’ve always wanted to be a doctor and today I learnt that you can also become a doctor of plants, not just a doctor treating people. I’ve learnt so much about agriculture and [its linkages to] science.”

Akhona Nduneni, an 18-year-old learner from Limekhaya High School in Kwa-Langa, Kariega is one of the 20 000 learners reached annually by Food For Mzansi’s AgriCareers project. Photo: Ivor Price/Food For Mzansi

Nduneni (18) is a learner at Limekhaya High School, one of the more than a dozen schools who attended AgriCareers hosted at Hoërskool Brandwag in Kariega. In attendance were more than 800 learners from Kariega, Gqeberha and Despatch.

“Most of us, where I come from, we take agriculture as labour work,” said Nduneni following a high-energy programme with top exhibitors. “I’ve learnt here that you can also do science. You can be a biotechnologist, you can be a geneticist, you can be a coder, you can be a social media expert. All these careers exist in agriculture.”

Nduneni said he was impressed by the fun-filled programme presented as part of the three-year-old schools project. Annually, Food For Mzansi’s AgriCareers project reaches 20 000 learners from across South Africa thanks to the support of its partners, including Laeveld Agrochem.

Dr Magdeleen Cilliers, a policy and research officer at the South African National Seed Organisation, understands exactly what it takes to make science cool for AgriCareers learners. Photo: Ivor Price/Food For Mzansi

Learners cheered when they heard that Dr Magdeleen Cilliers, a policy and research officer at the South African National Seed Organisation, was only seven years old when she first decided to become a researcher. By choosing a career in the seed industry, she explained, learners would play an integral role in the agriculture sector in many different careers, including agronomists, plant breeders, soil scientists and plant pathologists.

Cilliers said, “We had a great day with Food For Mzansi in the Eastern Cape, telling learners what opportunities there are in agriculture. The Food For Mzansi team is so passionate about the youth and does a great job to expose students to opportunities.”

Award-winning rapper and actor Jerome Rex in conversation with Lizwi Gwaza, a software developer representing the Nelson Mandela University and TangibleAfrica. Photo: Ivor Price/Food For Mzansi

These sentiments were echoed by Lizwi Gwaza, a software developer representing the Nelson Mandela University and TangibleAfrica. The initiative, founded by Professor Jean Greyling of the university’s computing sciences department, uses games, image recognition and a mobile app to teach children coding concepts without the use of a computer.

“Learning to code not only allows you to give machines instructions, but it also teaches you abstract thinking and problem-solving,” said Gwaza, highlighting the ways in which coding is used in agriculture. “More importantly, coding gives you all the skills needed in future.”

Gwaza described the AgriCareers project as very useful to high school learners since it exposed them to a great diversity of study and career opportunities in agriculture. “As we have so many learners who aren’t aware of this, the project also develops the agricultural world since it seems to be fading [in certain communities].”

More than 800 learners from Kariega, Gqeberha and Despatch attended the Eastern Cape leg of Food For Mzansi’s AgriCareers roadshow. This year, it was hosted by Hoërskool Brandwag in Kariega. Photo: Ivor Price/Food For Mzansi

Jeandré Freeman, an educator at Hoërskool Cillie in Despatch, described the career exhibition as most meaningful to learners. “They definitely learnt a lot, and I they would definitely love to attend future Food For Mzansi projects. This is the first exhibition we’ve attended. Learners are hungry to see, and learn about the world of work.”

Other exhibitors at the Kariega leg of the roadshow included the Eastern Cape department of rural development and agrarian reform and King Price Insurance. Through their work, learners learnt about careers in the insurance, communications and government sectors.

Farmers know best that insurance is valuable even when it doesn’t pay out. Now, AgriCareers learners also discovered that this industry offers many careers they might not have heard of before. Pictured are Marnus de Villiers and Stian Grobler from King Price Insurance. Photo: Ivor Price/Food For Mzansi

Representing King Price Insurance, Marnus de Villiers relayed how he grew up on a farm, but never imagined that he too would work in agriculture, albeit in a corporate environment. He was flanked by Stian Grobler, relationship consultant, at the insurer.

Meanwhile, learners were also inspired by the career journey of Thandolwethu Batyi, a senior communications officer at the Eastern Cape government. She explained how the department was empowering small-scale and up-and-coming farmers throughout the province.

Batyi also enlightened learners about careers in public relations, communications, journalism, videography and social media which all had linkages to the agriculture sector.

Food For Mzansi co-founder and strategy director Kobus Louwrens and Thandolwethu Batyi from the Eastern Cape department of agriculture and agrarian reformer with Kariega learners. Photo: Ivor Price/Food For Mzansi

Food For Mzansi co-founder and strategy director Kobus Louwrens said it was humbling to see the great nationwide support for the publication’s AgriCareers project. “It just keeps on growing and growing. As we welcome Laeveld Agrochem as a senior project partner, we also wish to express our since gratitude to other educational and agricultural enterprises who continue to walk this journey with us.”

Last-minute registrations are still accepted for Food For Mzansi’s next AgriCareers exhibition on Thursday, 4 August at Klerksdorp High School (KHS) in Klerksdorp, North West. To RSVP, contact Meagan van der Vent on 021 879 1824.

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