Nonprofit training organisation the Citrus Academy has introduced a new Citrus SuperPower programme with which it aims to develop the skills and knowledge of supervisors, open new growth and progression opportunities and give workers the opportunity to become supervisors.

The Citrus Academy was established by the Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa (CGA) to enable human resource development in the industry.

The SuperPower programme was launched with a pilot event in Centurion, Gauteng, but will be rolled out to the rest of South Africa this year.

Citrus Academy engagement manager Sam Louw says there is a need for quality supervisor training in the citrus workplace, which the SuperPower programme aims to address and ensure the industry continues to have top talent running the country’s world-class citrus resources.

The CGA aims to export 260-million 15 kg cartons of citrus by 2032, but to achieve that goal, the industry needs growth of skills to ensure operational efficiency and maintain high levels of quality.

“We sometimes need to be reminded of how important the development of high-level agricultural skills are. The truth is, without quality skills, there can be no sustainable growth in agriculture,” comments Citrus Academy GM Jacomien de Klerk.

The programme has two components: one focusing on supervisory skills and one targeted at improving communication and numeracy for workers to progress in the workplace.

The first component, the SuperPower Train-the-Trainer workshops will take place later this year in Gqeberha and Cape Town, while the SuperPower Workplace component is being customised for different workplaces and typically spans several weeks.

The workplace component combines classroom modules with practical work and is tacilitated in the local language whenever possible.

“In the past, the focus has been on prioritising essential technical and production skills development programmes in the citrus industry. It is now time for us to tackle the development of effective business management, to take the industry to the next level,” concludes Citrus Academy project coordinator Sive Silo.