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Home / Youth perfectly poised to infiltrate agriculture sector
Youth perfectly poised to infiltrate agriculture sector
2018-08-01Staff Report 2 Staff Reporter WINDHOEK - Students, especially those who wish to venture into the agricultural sector, are currently perfectly poised to lay the foundations to ensure they succeed in that sector. The best way to see to this is to explore various ecosystems of influential people which ensure they are aptly prepared by the time they graduate, have a job and are ready to begin their agricultural exploits, says Standard Bank’s Agric Business Central manager, Piet Bergh. Bergh was addressing the Youth in Agriculture conference at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) last Thursday. The conference was held under the theme “Agriculture and the Generation Problem; Rural Youth, Employment and the future of farming”. Various stakeholders including Presidential advisor on Youth Engagement Daisry Mathias and the UN’s World Food Programme representative in Namibia, Bai Mankay Sankoh were in attendance. The Bank was the main sponsor of the event, geared towards supporting and empowering the youth who are the main productive human resource of socio-economic development and can immensely contribute to the agricultural sector. Bergh highlighted the importance of the agricultural sector in addressing food security, thereby supporting and sustaining livelihoods, something which should not be overlooked. Especially with the sector supporting above 70 percent of the Namibian population and employs about a third of the working force. Bergh explains that most graduates want to venture into agriculture directly after tertiary studies without a proper portfolio, which is supposed to put them at an advantage of getting the financial assistance they require. He stresses that one’s personal wealth will determine her/his ability to sustain her/his venture and endure in the future. As such, students are in the right position to open bank accounts and register companies while studying because by doing this they are already building their portfolios. “Students, you need to explore your ecosystem (of influential people) to help you grow your business. Standard Bank provides the right ecosystem for you with its consultants who are willing to guide you and products tailor made for you,” advises Bergh. Initiatives such as this conference are essential as they aid in activating the youths untapped potentials. This is essential for the Agriculture sector as it has the potential to be the largest employer. As such, the Bank has dedicated itself over the years to support the agriculture sector develop; with the youth being the farmers of tomorrow, it is imperative to draw them into the fold as early as possible, says he. 2018-08-01Staff Report 2
