announced
20 November 2006
The Minister for Agriculture and Land Affairs, Ms Lulu Xingwana, will
tomorrow, officially launch the NAET forum and, introduce its members to the
public. The forum is expected to deal with among others, aligning agricultural
education offered by different institutions in the country, addressing problems
relating to unemployed agricultural graduates and ensure the creation of a pool
of skills for the development of agriculture in South Africa and the Southern
African Development Community (SADC) region.
NAET Forum Established
Background
The Department of Agriculture is embarking on a drive to have more young
people interested in agriculture. Current trends indicate that young people
especially, are less interested in pursuing agricultural studies. In its effort
to change this, the department developed an Agricultural Education and Training
(AET) strategy which was launched last year. The department has now established
the National Agricultural Education and Training (NAET) forum to implement
objectives of the strategy.
One of the interventions of the AET strategy is to address the issue of
skills shortage in certain agricultural fields as well as the issue of
unemployed agricultural graduates. This is but one of the roles of the NAET
forum. The forum is concerned with the provision and maintenance of sound
education and training to support an environmentally and economically
sustainable agriculture. Currently there are inequities in the provision of
agricultural education programmes which creates a mismatch between demand and
supply of skills. This and other related challenges limit agricultural
development not only in South Africa but also on the continent.
Mandate
As its mandate, the forum will look into the implementation of the strategy
by among other things spearheading a programme of action for the:
* development and maintenance of an effective and well co-ordinated AET that
is integrated at all levels and responds appropriately to South African
agriculture
* enhancement of equitable access and meaningful participation in AET by all
South Africans
* alignment of the AET curricula with urgent challenges faced by South African
agriculture sector including sustainable development and land care, food
security, water harvesting and rural wealth creation.
Conclusion
Agricultural education and training is one of the most important tools that
government can use to achieve broader government goals of poverty alleviation
and job creation. These are some of the issues which the Department of
Agriculture through the NAET Forum aims to address by making a genuine
contribution to addressing the skills gap in the sector. It also aims to
establish a cadre of agricultural graduates that will benefit the agriculture
sector as well as the South African economy in general.
Programme
Launch of the launch of the National Agricultural Education and Training
(NAET) forum and the 10 year Human Resource Development (HRD) Review Report on
agricultural graduate outputs in higher education institutions
Venue: CSIR International Convention Centre, Brumeria, Pretoria
21 November 2006
Chairperson: Ms Vangile Titi, Deputy Director-General (DDG), Department of
Agriculture arrival, tea and registration
09h00: Opening and welcome
Ms Vangile Titi: DDG, Department of Agriculture
Keynote Address and launch of the 10 year Human Resource Development Review
Report on agricultural graduate outputs in South African Qualifications
Authority (SAQA) accredited higher education institutions
Mr Masiphula Mbongwa: Director General, Department of Agriculture
10 year Human Resource Development Review Report on Agricultural Graduate
Outputs in SAQA accredited higher education institutions
Dr Paterson, Human Sciences Research Council
10h30: Tea Break
Background and institutional arrangements for the AET strategy
Mr Mkhululi Mankazana Chief Director: Sector Services, Department of
Agriculture
The scope of the NAET Forum
Mr Joe Kgobokoe, Acting Director: Education, Training and Extension services,
Department of Agriculture
Processes followed for establishment of the NAET Forum Shoky Mogaladi,
Deputy Director, Policy Development and Agricultural Tertiary Education
Presentation on the Constitution of the NAET Forum and how the Forum will
work.
Mr Mkhululi Mankazana, Chief Director: Sector Services
12h30: Lunch
Launch of the NAET Forum and announcement of Forum members
Ms Lulama Xingwana, Minister for Agriculture and Land Affairs
Announcements on future activities of the NAET Forum
Mr Joe Kgobokoe, Director: Education, Training and Extension services,
Department of Agriculture
Vote of thanks
Dr Dirk du Toit, Deputy Minister for Agriculture and Land Affairs
14h30: Closure
Venue: CSIR International Convention Centre, Brumeria, Pretoria
Date: 21 November 2006
Time: 09h00
RSVP:
Tenisia Machitela
Tel: (012) 319 7089
Fax: (012) 326 2817
E-mail: TenisiaM@nda.agric.za
Agnes Moretsele Nare Mabuela
Tel: (012) 319 7224
Fax: (012) 326 2817
E-mail: AgnesM@nda.agric.za
For further information please contact:
Steve Galane
Tel: (012) 319 7312
Cell: 083 635 7346
E-mail:DAIS@nda.agric.za
Issued by: Department of Agriculture
20 November 2006
