AS a way of agricultural transformation and rural economic empowerment, Alfred Nzo District Municipality partnered with the Agricultural Sector Education and Training Authority (AgriSETA) to roll out potato production skills development programme.
The initiative will train 500 small-scale farmers across the district with 100 top-performing beneficiaries receiving mechanisation support and direct linkages to formal markets.
The programme has been designed to equip emerging farmers with short skills training in potato farming practices and agricultural mechanisation.
This will catalyse the commercialisation of small-scale farming and provide participants with the tools and knowledge required to compete in the broader agri-economy.
The top 100 achievers from the training cohort will benefit from mechanised production support and will be assisted in connecting with buyers.
This partnership signals a new era of inclusive agricultural development in Alfred Nzo. The aim is to create a skilled and self-sufficient farming community that can actively contribute to food security and local economic development.
The initiative is firmly aligned with the District Development Model (DDM) which promotes integrated, locally driven service delivery and economic planning.
It also supports the broader vision of the Alfred Nzo Agri-Parks initiative, which aims to increase the level of production within the agricultural sector, intensify food security where the intended outcome is to reduce the high level of unemployment and stimulate the district’s economic growth and development.
The Agri-Parks programme has identified potatoes as a high-impact commodity with strong market demand, favourable agro-climatic conditions in the region, and potential for scalable commercial production.
While the training will be conducted by an accredited provider to be recommended by AgriSETA, ideally a member of Potatoes South Africa, the Alfred Nzo District Municipality will retain responsibility for recruitment of trainees across Matatiele, Umzimvubu, Mbizana, and Ntabankulu.
This model ensures that local government remains at the centre of district development, while leveraging the technical and financial capabilities of national agencies and industry bodies.
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