North West Places 110 Agricultural Graduates on Farms to Tackle Youth Unemployment and Strengthen Food Security

The North West Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) has placed 110 unemployed agricultural graduates on farms and at agricultural facilities across the province as part of the Unemployed Graduate Placement Programme for the 2026/28 intake. The initiative aims to address youth unemployment while giving qualified graduates practical experience in the agricultural sector. Participants will spend two years gaining workplace experience, strengthening their technical skills and applying their academic knowledge in real agricultural environments. The programme also seeks to increase the meaningful participation of young people in agriculture while supporting food security and economic development across the North West. By connecting graduates with practical opportunities, the department is creating a pathway between tertiary education, employment and future entrepreneurship.

The programme provides an important bridge for graduates who often face the challenge of having qualifications but limited workplace experience when entering the job market. Practical exposure can help young agricultural professionals develop confidence, improve their technical abilities and understand the day-to-day demands of working in the sector. Participants will have opportunities to apply what they learned during their studies while gaining insight into the operational realities of farms, veterinary services and other agricultural facilities. This type of workplace training can also help graduates identify areas of specialisation and develop professional networks that may benefit them after the placement ends. The two-year period gives participants valuable time to build experience that can strengthen their prospects for employment or self-employment.

One of the beneficiaries is Ontlametse Salvation Moile, an Animal Health Technician Intern placed at the Mahikeng State Veterinary Office. Her placement demonstrates how the programme can provide graduates with an opportunity to move from academic learning into practical service within their communities. Animal health plays an important role in agricultural production because healthy livestock are essential to productive farming enterprises and food security. Through her placement, Moile can develop practical skills while supporting farmers through knowledge, guidance and technical assistance. Her experience also reflects the wider purpose of the programme, which is to help graduates become active contributors to the agricultural economy rather than simply waiting for permanent employment opportunities.

Moile described the programme as an important intervention that helps bridge the gap between graduation and employment. She expressed appreciation to the department for providing graduates with an opportunity to gain experience, learn more and demonstrate their abilities. She also highlighted the importance of using the knowledge gained through the programme to support local farming communities. For agricultural graduates, the opportunity to share technical knowledge with farmers can create benefits that extend beyond their individual career development. It can help farmers improve their enterprises while allowing young professionals to develop practical experience in solving real agricultural challenges.

The programme is also encouraging graduates to consider entrepreneurship as an alternative pathway after completing their placements. Agriculture offers opportunities across livestock production, crop farming, animal health, agricultural services, processing, marketing and other areas of the value chain. Developing an agricultural enterprise can allow graduates to create their own income while potentially generating employment for other people in their communities. However, successful agricultural businesses require planning, market knowledge, financial management and access to appropriate funding. The department’s focus on entrepreneurship aims to help graduates consider these factors early rather than waiting until the end of the placement period before planning their next steps.

Mentor Malebo Mogopodi, owner of Thuo Agribusiness and a crop farmer from Phokeng, also emphasised the importance of young professionals to the future of agriculture. The agricultural sector faces a generational challenge as many experienced farmers grow older and the industry needs younger people to take on greater responsibility. Young graduates bring formal training, technical knowledge and the potential to introduce new approaches to agricultural production and business. Their involvement can help the sector respond to challenges while supporting continuity between experienced farmers and the next generation. Mogopodi encouraged participants to take responsibility for their futures and make the most of the opportunities available to them.

The message around generational renewal is particularly important for the North West, which has significant agricultural potential across different commodities and production systems. Young agricultural professionals can contribute to the sector through farming, technical services, research, business development and community-based agricultural programmes. Their skills can also help farmers respond to changing production conditions and improve efficiency through better use of information and technology. For this potential to translate into sustainable careers, graduates need to approach their placements as opportunities to build both technical competence and business knowledge. The two-year programme can provide a valuable foundation for this process.

North West MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development Madoda Sambatha reinforced this message during the graduates’ induction in Potchefstroom on Monday, 17 August 2026. He encouraged participants to view the programme as a stepping stone towards sustainable careers, entrepreneurship and greater participation in the agricultural economy. Rather than waiting until their two-year placements are completed, graduates were urged to begin developing exit plans while they are still receiving workplace training. This approach can give participants time to identify business opportunities, understand their funding requirements and prepare for the transition into employment or entrepreneurship. Planning early can also help ensure that the skills gained during the programme translate into longer-term economic opportunities.

MEC Sambatha further highlighted the availability of government funding mechanisms that can support agricultural enterprises. He encouraged graduates to become agri-preneurs and explore opportunities to establish businesses within the agricultural value chain. To strengthen this process, the department has directed its economists to develop bankable business plans for participants who are interested in establishing agricultural enterprises. These plans are intended to help graduates register businesses and pursue funding after completing the placement programme. Such post-placement support could make the transition from temporary workplace training to sustainable enterprise development more practical for participants.

The programme is funded through the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme (CASP), placing it within broader efforts to strengthen agricultural development while addressing youth unemployment. Combining workplace training with agricultural support creates an opportunity to tackle two important challenges at the same time. Graduates gain practical experience while farms, agricultural facilities and communities benefit from the contribution of young professionals. Over time, these placements can help build a stronger pool of skilled workers and entrepreneurs who understand both agricultural production and the needs of local communities. Supporting young people in agriculture can therefore contribute to employment creation while strengthening the province’s capacity to produce food and develop agricultural businesses.

The participation of graduates from the Potchefstroom College of Agriculture and Taung Agricultural College also highlights the contribution of the North West’s state-owned agricultural colleges. These institutions play an important role in preparing students for careers in a sector that requires practical skills and specialised knowledge. The fact that most of the 110 participants are alumni of these colleges demonstrates the value of linking agricultural education with workplace opportunities. Graduates can use their formal training as a foundation while gaining practical experience through exposure to farms and agricultural facilities. Stronger connections between agricultural colleges, government programmes and industry can help create clearer pathways from education into employment and enterprise development.

The placement of 110 agricultural graduates across the province has the potential to produce benefits that extend beyond the individual participants. Young professionals can support farmers with technical knowledge while gaining experience that prepares them for future roles in the sector. In areas such as animal health, their contribution can help farmers understand better livestock management practices and respond to challenges affecting agricultural productivity. In crop production and other agricultural disciplines, graduates can also contribute to improved practices and knowledge transfer. These combined contributions can support stronger agricultural enterprises and help communities build greater resilience.

Food security remains an important outcome of the programme because agricultural development depends on having enough skilled people to support sustainable production. Farmers require technical expertise, business support and access to reliable services to maintain productive enterprises. Young graduates can help fill skills gaps while contributing fresh ideas and professional knowledge to farming communities. When agricultural businesses become more productive and sustainable, they can contribute to local food supplies and economic activity. The placement programme therefore connects youth employment with broader priorities around agricultural development and food security.

The two-year Unemployed Graduate Placement Programme gives participants an opportunity to make meaningful progress towards their professional goals while contributing to agriculture in the North West. Its emphasis on workplace training, entrepreneurship and post-placement support provides a broader approach than simply offering temporary employment. The success of the initiative will depend on how effectively graduates use the experience, networks and skills they gain during their placements. It will also depend on continued support that helps promising participants transition into employment, farming enterprises or agricultural businesses. By encouraging graduates to plan for life beyond the programme, the department is seeking to turn a two-year opportunity into a foundation for longer-term economic participation.

The North West Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s placement of 110 unemployed agricultural graduates represents a significant investment in young people and the future of the province’s agricultural sector. Through practical workplace training, participants can strengthen their skills while contributing to farms, agricultural facilities and communities across the province. The programme also encourages graduates to look beyond traditional employment and consider entrepreneurship as a way to create sustainable livelihoods and jobs. With support through CASP, agricultural colleges, departmental expertise and planned business development assistance, participants have an opportunity to build careers that extend well beyond their two-year placements. If graduates make full use of the experience and opportunities available to them, the programme can help create a stronger generation of agricultural professionals, farmers and agri-preneurs while contributing to job creation, economic growth and food security in the North West.