The National Youth Service (NYS), tasked with providing civic, technical and vocational training opportunities to the country’s youth, is slowly but surely making a name for itself in the agriculture space, and it is now regarded as one of the biggest contributors to food security.
Through its agricultural production unit, the NYS runs and manages successful farming projects and schemes in places like Rietfontein, Gemsbokpan, Omauni, Eunda, Hentiesbay and Berg Aukas.
In 2014, the NYS acquired Farm Eunda, which is 40 hectares, and is involved in horticulture activities. It has been cultivating a variety of vegetables, utilising its favourable position of being next to the canal.
Since NYS acquired the farm, it has grown into an operation that produces a variety of crops, such as cabbage, tomatoes, spinach and other vegetables.
It also produces on average 20 tonnes of fresh produce per year. The various trainees are actively involved in the production on this farm, which gives them an opportunity for valuable experiential learning and enhancing their skills.
At Berg Aukas in the Otjozondjupa region, they are involved in the production of white and yellow maize, spinach, cabbage, onions, green peppers and watermelons, while at their Rietfontein farm, they experiment with vegetable production, livestock farming, game (wildlife) farming and blue buffalo hay production.
At Farm Gemsbokpan, the NYS is primarily active in cattle and game farming, which has seen them increasing their herd of various beef breeds to 800 and their game numbers to more than 200, consisting of eland, kudu and even giraffes.
The NYS produce about 200 ready-for-market animals per year, while the trainees are actively involved in the operations, giving them an opportunity for valuable experiential learning and skills enhancement.
NYS derives its funding mainly from government allocation.
However, NYS is continuously developing opportunities to increase its funding sources that will enable it to achieve long-term financial self-sustainability.