As part of the back-to-school campaign, the Minister responsible for Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development DALRRD), Ms. Thoko Didiza accompanied by MEC of Limpopo Department of Education (LDoE) Ms. Polly Boshielo have visited the following high schools: Hans Merensky, Tzaneen; Mandela Barlow, Mokwakwaila and Mamolemane, Moletjie Ga-Matamanyane on 24 January 2022.
Minister’s visit was to get the sense of the schools’ function in terms of integration of learning and farming as the key for future sustainable land management. Her plans seek to re-build an agricultural skill base that will ultimately respond to the country’s needs such as food security, employment and economy.
She urged the stakeholders to work with government to address their areas of focus and challenges at a high school level. Among the challenges are the complete revival of agriculture in their field of practice including the creative management of land, effective use of facilities, and equipment mainly for agricultural purpose. The revival of agricultural programme will not only pave way to learners towards attaining their aspirations, but also assist the schools to become self-reliance.
Minister calls for collaboration with government to make an impact in the community’s livelihoods and country moving forward.
She went further urging for the development of educators to get the basic lessons of technology that will equip them with skills so they can be on the cutting edge. She said that the change in weather pattern coupled by extreme drought and floods need educators armed with basic technology to deal with those realities.
In her closing remarks, Minister reminded learners that agriculture has wide range of careers to choose from including soil scientist, animal husbandry, agricultural economist to becoming a farmer.
Schools got donations in a form of production inputs and garden tools. The support is not limited to technical expertise from the local agricultural office.
