AGS co-founder Mrs Zandie Matiwaza-Denga (left) hands over seedlings to Esigodini Agricultural College principal, Mr Sibangilizwe Dlodlo (right) while Umzingwane legislator Levi Mayihlome (third from right) and other guests look on.

The Esigodini Agricultural College has received an assortment of materials from the Africa Grain and Seed (AGS) to assist in farming education at the institution, as it forges ahead with implementation of the newly introduced curriculum.

The Government recently introduced the new syllabi for agriculture colleges to ensure enhanced agricultural production across the country and also do away with the rigid education system.

The new curriculum is expected to provide a practical, relevant, market-oriented, and farmer-centred education system that provides hands-on experience to boost farming and national agricultural productivity.

In addition, it exposes students to modern farming practices and technologies.

It also responds to emerging global trends in agriculture.

The seedlings comprising cabbages, tomatoes, lettuce, beetroot, and trees were handed over to the Esigodini Agricultural College principal Mr Sibangilizwe Dlodlo by AGS co-founder, Mrs Zandie Matiwaza-Denga, recently.

“What we have come to do is to change the perspective of agriculture. We want to change the way people look at agriculture,” said Mrs Matiwaza-Denga.

“We want to start moving from people looking at agriculture in terms of hard labour, poverty, and everything.

“We are bringing in new perspectives of agriculture, where we talk about sustainability, income generation, food security, becoming producers for something that will feed us and everyone else”.

She said it was important to create an environment where more people become productive in the agriculture sector.

Mrs Matiwaza-Denga added that they want to use agriculture as a way of building a legacy for the young generation.

“We are building a legacy, teaching the young people that we don’t have to wait for someone to come and do something for us that we can do for ourselves, but it starts in structures like these,” she added.

Umzingwane legislator, Levi Mayihlome said such a partnership would help to build relations that are key to addressing the country’s food security.

“We are dealing with food security and it is important that we do our best in achieving our targets in that area. This gesture is a welcome contribution to achieve the envisaged Vision 2030 and our national strategic development goals,” said the legislator.

Esigodini Agricultural College principal Mr Sibangilizwe Dlodlo expressed gratitude to AGS, saying the donation came at the right time.

“We would also like to thank the technical experts, Grow a Tree Foundation. Thank you very much for your contribution,” he said.

“AGS is coming at a very critical moment in the history of education and agriculture as an industry, not only in Esigodini but in the whole country”.

Mr Dlodlo said the institution recently launched a revised curriculum that is market-oriented. He said previously more focus had been on subsistence farming and now they have to adapt to the new curriculum.

“The market is there and Esigodini has no excuse for not producing,” said Mr Dlodlo.