Kumba Iron Ore’s Kolomela mine is celebrating a milestone in its efforts to create economic sustainability among the local farming community.
Its first ever Youth Farmer Programme, aimed at developing fully-fledged commercial farmers, is bearing fruit. Altogether 15 farmers successfully completed their exams in October 2018 and will complete the practical element of the programme during November 2018.
The long-term objective of this initiative is to create partnerships to ensure access to infrastructure for young farmers, to enable them to create sustainable jobs and ultimately to be fully fledged commercial farmers.
“We are satisfied that their skills improved significantly with regard to farm management, land management and livestock management systems. This is in line with Kolomela’s short-term objective of equipping farmers with the right knowledge and skills to understand the difference between subsistence and commercial farming,” said Mavis Kolberg, Kolomela’s Enterprise Development Manager.
The initiative started with young farmers between the ages of 18 and 35, who already farm with livestock in the Tsantsabane municipal area, being invited to participate. After a selection process, 15 farmers farming in Postmasburg, Skeifontein, Groenwater, Jenn Haven, Griekwastad and Daniëlskuil were identified to participate in the programme.
The Kameelboom Academy, an accredited service provider with more than 20 years’ experience with the Department of Agriculture, was appointed to develop the young farmers into competent commercial farmers. The young farmer programme started with a situational analysis to identify their skills gaps, needs, challenges and risks and included the mentorship programme runs from January to December 2018 done on the farms. This was complemented with a 5-month academic programme from May to October with the academy. The farmers-in-training had to submit portfolios of evidence, to confirm their competence in the areas where mentoring and training were provided. As the academy is SAQA and Agri-SETA accredited, the successful farmers will be issued with official certificates of competence.
The programme subjects included grass management, animal production, record keeping, asset management, business planning, animal health, safety at work, sales and service, machinery record keeping, bush control and mixed farming. Management training such as running a meeting and farm planning was also offered.
“Our future plans entail leveraging on the mine’s land use strategy and bringing the Department of Agriculture on board. As this initiative has created interest among the farming community, we consider offering an inclusive programme (non-youth) for all interested farmers locally. We want to reinforce the economic drive originally found in the area, before Kolomela was established here,” Mavis concluded.
KIO Kolomela communication
