We're farming the farmers of the future

Mining engineer and serial entrepreneur Joshua C. Ngoma is building a farm. This is no ordinary farm though. On a plot of land that lies on the outskirts of Johannesburg, Joshua and his team are building a programme that seeks to make the agriculture business attractive to young people, and increase the number of competent young agricultural entrepreneurs in South Africa. While the initial focus is on agricultural graduates that are roaming streets, Joshua’s programme will also offer training to beginner farmers, farmers from rural communities, and experienced farmers who want to learn new, modern methods of farming. The success of the model, Joshua feels, will require the collective efforts of all the agricultural experts in South Africa and elsewhere. “We owe it to our country and continent,” he adds.