The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development will host the third conservative annual educational summit in a bid to engage school communities, with a view to instill the love of agriculture among pupils.
The summit, scheduled to take place at the Queenstown Indoor Sports Centre, follows the two successful summits held in East London and OR Tambo in 2008 and 2009 respectively where pupils and teachers interacted with Agriculture and Rural Development and Education departments officials, farmers and experts in different fields including representatives from universities.
Through this initiative the department also seeks to improve the image of agriculture as a contributor in the economic growth and development of rural communities and to encourage pupils to follow the agriculture related careers.
The mission is make agriculture a career of choice and this drive has attained positive results for instance Fort Hare University academics has acknowledge the number of pupils choosing agriculture as a career path has increased.
During the career days that a held in various schools around, where teachers and pupils alike are shown the advantages of taking agriculture serious Education department official are confessing that in areas where the department has raised the awareness, more pupils were keen to do agriculture studies.
The department is also empowering teachers by sending them to agricultural institutes, like Grootfointein Agriculture College, Tsolo Agriculture College and Fort Cox College of Agriculture and Forestry.
It is through efforts like these that the department hopes to promote agriculture participation by the youth from the early stages.
There are also practical programmes that involve school kids in what is known as the 4-H clubs, which is encouraging schools to have food gardens and the Department supply them with implements and seedlings.
Members of the media are cordially invited to attend this august engagement of pupils and educators with agriculture experts.
Details of the event:
Venue: Queenstown Indoor Sports Centre
Date: 22 to 23 October 2010
Time: 14h00 on 22 October and 8am on 23 October
For more information contact:
Thozi Manyisana
Cell: 073 2633 754
