JN Reporter

Nonprofit company TT100 and business school The DaVinci Institute launched the Free State leg of the entrepreneurial development programme for food producers and manufacturers.

The launch took place on Monday at the Glen College of Agriculture in Bloemfontein and aims to empower 15 young farmers in the province.

The farmers will be empowered with entrepreneurship skills, management of technology, business development and the skill to operate within the food production and food manufacturing sector. 

The launch was attended by Da Vinci Institute CEO Professor Ben Anderson and MEC for Agriculture Elsabe Rockman.

The DaVinci Institute together with banking sector through Bankseta will also launch the programme in Gauteng, KZN and North West province.

Anderson says the programme provides a value chain of food production and food manufacturing. 

“It also embraces the relationship of how to manage technology and innovation in an ecosystem. We should not produce for the sake of selling, but we need to look at the latest trends in food.

“We want to link the participants with the markets, research and industry departments,” Anderson said. 

He also said programme provides participants with exposure to education, business coaching, masterclasses, training workshops, development of business proposals and a local food festival. 

Tt100 and DaVinci said their programme responded directly to the systemic challenges facing the agricultural sector. One of the sector’s most persistent issues was the shortage of skilled people who can manage the complexities of modern agriculture. 

The programme focuses on black-owned and women-led SMMEs who are often excluded from high-value agricultural opportunities. It also fosters co-operative business models that promote collaboration, peer learning and social capital.