Innovating in agri-education

Providing agri-education opportunities for those who need it most will help to lift employment and drive agri-preneurship.

South Africa’s unemployment data for the third quarter of 2020 may not have been a surprise, but it was still a shock to see the reality that 6.5 million people are now jobless – with the expanded unemployment rate (which includes people who have stopped looking for work) rising to a massive 43,1%. And it’s not expected to improve any time soon.

These numbers highlight the need to build a nation of entrepreneurs, capable of looking after themselves in the most challenging of times. As a continent, one of the best things we can do is educate people in the most basic survival skills – farming. Knowledge about how to produce crops and animals can lead to anything from a small sustainable veggie patch to vertical urban gardens or large-scale commercial farming. Most importantly, it puts food on the table.

Educate to Grow is a Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) that works closely with AGRICOLLEGES international to source funding for agricultural education opportunities for previously disadvantaged youth and women. Among Educate to Grow’s objectives are the desire to teach students life skills that will make them more employable; and to develop agri-preneurs who can use their acquired knowledge to start their own agri-enterprises. The partnership with AGRICOLLEGES international provides funders with the confidence that any students learning through the online platform are in good hands.

This year, AGRICOLLEGES international has been recognised as one of the 30 Most Inspiring Digital Innovations of 2020 by Partos; and was recently named as a top 10 finalist in the South African Global Edtech Startups Awards (GESAwards) competition.

GESAwards is the world’s largest EdTech startup competition, initiated by a group of leading education innovation organisations from across the world. The awards identify, showcase and recognise the world’s most promising EdTech startups each year. Since 2014, over 3,500 international startups have applied to GESAwards for the opportunity to be given a global voice and to be crowned the Most Promising EdTech Startup of the year. GESAwards has become a significant player in promoting EdTech innovative solutions that address real educational problems.

In a world that is struggling to regain its foothold as the Coronavirus continues to infect thousands each day, Educate to Grow and AGRICOLLEGES international are clear on the way forward. The journey of innovation and growth began four years ago, but it is far from over – there is still a world of opportunity in agri-education for the youth of Africa and beyond, and Educate to Grow is helping to make this a reality for students without the means to do so themselves.

How to donate

Help someone to gain the knowledge they need to produce their own food, build a business and feed others long into the future by donating any amount, or sponsoring specific bursary funding for prospective students.

To donate to Educate To Grow, download the Zapper App and scan the code below or, if you would rather do a direct EFT, please send us a mail on info@agricolleges.com.

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