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Danette Breitenbach
SAB KickStart's Urban Agriculture programme calls for entries
SAB KickStart's Urban Agriculture programme, which aims to create sustainable employment, is calling youth-owned businesses in the agricultural sector to enter. Now in its second year, the programme looks to invest in high potential farming businesses, by integrating technology solutions that will grow the businesses and create lasting employment.
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The 15-month business development programme provides successful participants with technical and operational training, hydroponic infrastructure investment, industry-based mentorship, as well as market access.
"As a 97% homegrown organisation, farming is key to our business. To strengthen the market and ultimately create jobs outside of our core business, we want to attract young people to agriculture, through technology," said Phumzile Chifunyise, enterprise development manager, SAB and AB InBev Africa.
Hydroponic systems are an advanced farming methodology that is of high intensity, that is water and high nutrition based in which the planting is not dependent on soil.
"By introducing young farmers to this advanced process, we are looking to grow and bring a young face to agriculture, while rapidly increasing their output."
The programme is opened to entrepreneurs aged 18-35, with a minimum of one-year farming experience. The farm space should be in the region of 1500m² that is currently used to produce plant-based produce or crop on a revenue-generating basis, with potential to scale.
