Two hundred and thirty four (234) disadvantaged farmers in Limpopo were found competent through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). Farmers competent in Animal Production were 24; with 13 from levels 1-3, and 11 at level 4, whereas in Plant Production they were 210; with 121 from levels 1-3, and 89 at level 4.
The assessment was done through a collaboration of Tompi Seleka College of Agriculture (TSCA) and Agri-Seta. During the assessment, capabilities of candidate farmers were evaluated in respect of the fields they were in. Clarifying this further, the assessed candidates are practising farmers in Animal and Plant production. They were assessed on the knowledge and skills they have gathered in their various agricultural enterprises. These are farmers that did not have formal education, yet they have acquired a lot of skills in farming.
“RPL means the principles and processes through which the prior knowledge and skills of a person are made visible, mediated and assessed for the purposes of alternative access and admission, recognition and certification, or further learning and development. We assess competencies and skills that they [farmers] claim to know,” indicated TSCA Principal, Lesley Mashiloane during the graduation of farmers in Polokwane on 26 November 2021.
Representing farmers that received their certificates, Jerry Sefolose appreciated the achievement. He said, “it is us blacks who are operating tractors, irrigating and harvesting. But why do we fail to produce? If we do not produce, that is where the problem starts. In this democratic era, we must indeed farm so that we do not only have political power, but economic power also.”
“Today many of the big Agriculture establishments in our province and country have in their employ many of these individuals who possess on job training without having had a classroom training. These men and women possess high level of skill and experience, which they acquired over many years of working in Agriculture. It is often said in many Agriculture establishments that those who obtain their knowledge through formal academic training receive on job training from those whose knowledge have been acquired though practical experience on the fields,” indicated Limpopo Head of Department (LDARD), Jacqueline Maisela on behalf of LDARD MEC Nandi Ndalane.
