By Libuseng Nyaka
HARRISMITH – Agriculture Hod Dr Takisi Masiteng has assured Maluti TVET College’s Sefikeng Agric village that they have partners in the name of department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Dr Masiteng was responding to Acting Principal Motlalepula Tsotetsi’s request for potential partners to come forward and assist the campus to reach its full potential.
Speaking at the launch of Sefikeng Agric-village on April 18, 2024, Masiteng said the Free State is more agricultural that is why when a decision was taken to establish Agric parks and Agri villages, it started in Limpopo and Free State was second.
He said the concept of Agric village was precisely to ensure that production is increased and to make sure that there is food security .
“You will understand that, given the challenges that we are having such as veld fires, drought, outbreaks of diseases and suddenly the floods. We are central as a province; we border six provinces plus a country – Lesotho.
“The only province that does that is Free State, so we are strategically positioned to can attract investors and partners and that is exactly what the principal was taking about.
“Thabo Mofutsanyana generates more than R17 billion from agriculture and Thabo Mofutsanyana only, has created about 30 000 jobs in agriculture. The sector contributes about 10 percent of employment in the country.
“The college is saying we will contribute to the food security, to the technical know-how; there is nothing more important than technical know-how. Let me applaud the college for what they have done; you have a strategic partner which is the department of agriculture and rural development. My colleague will tell you we have identified schools to ensure that they embark on agriculture.”
His sentiments were echoed by Free State education HOD Advocate Tsoarelo Malakoane who disclosed that they are increasing numbers of agricultural schools in the province while also announcing that in two weeks he will be back for the signing of memorandum of understanding.
“We as the department of education, our business is to transect, so the Free State department of college wishes to congratulate Principal Ntate Tsotetsi, his team and college council for the launch of this Agric-village. We congratulate the college because we see and understand the strategic value of this Agric village is in our education process. We are focusing on technical and vocational skills.”
FS Education HOD advocate Tsoarelo Malakoane at Sefikeng campus.
Speaking at the occasion, Tsotetsi pointed out that the Agric village campus contributes towards food security.
“We are feeding into the food security grid every year; by so doing everyone is aware of the farm and number of activities taking place. We are saying potential partners must come and partner with us. Today we have colleagues from Tswane TVET college and Flavius Mareka College in Sasolburg, among others.
Tsotetsi went on to motivate matric learners to make Sefikeng their college of choice to further their studies so that they too can continue to contribute to food production.
“Since its inception in 2017, the campus has ensured that there is food security in the district and province at large. We have produced 312 tonnes of maize, 46 tonnes tons of wheat, 35 tonnes of beans, 75 tonnes of soyabeans and 12 tonnes of sunflower. In terms of livestock we have 17 cattle and keep them limited by auctioning them, 22 goats and 23 sheep. We have sold 70 piglets last year,” Tsotetsi added.
Sefikeng agricultural campus started operating in July 17 2017.
