Industry body Raisins South Africa (Raisins SA) and the Kgodiso Development Fund have launched the Vine Academy and model farm in Kakamas, in the Northern Cape.

The Vine Academy provides classroom-based and practical training for emerging farmers and farmworkers. It also incorporates a model farm, for research and development on raisin production and farming in South Africa.

The academy forms part of both organisations’ commitments to nurturing potential that drives economic growth and a more sustainable food system. It was founded in partnership with Martin Oosthuizen High School, in Kakamas, which is one of the oldest agricultural schools in South Africa.

For Raisins SA, the model farm activity will help address human resources and knowledge gaps in the raisin industry. The model farm will provide training to farmers on the ground in agronomy, fertiliser, water and plant protection.

Kgodiso executive director Diale Tilo says the development of farmers and farmworkers is essential to the transformation of the food system in South Africa.

“The Vine Academy and model farm form part of a critical initiative that will provide effective solutions to the agriculture challenges in South Africa. This project will address key skills and knowledge gaps in our food system,” he adds.

The fund and Raisins SA partnered to launch the academy and model farm a year ago, and invested R12-million to this end.

“Creating a sustainable and competitive raisin industry in South Africa is our goal. Education plays a crucial role in the transformation of South Africa's agriculture industry, as well as the country's economic growth. Skills development should be treated as an investment that is strategic to this industry,” comments Raisins SA CEO Ferdie Botha.

He adds that the organisation values the idea of generating value through the creation of knowledge and the sharing of knowledge among value chain members to increase efficiency, build trust and positively impact on communities.

The Kgodiso fund is one of PepsiCo South Africa’s public interest commitments, which was made to government at the time of its acquisition of Pioneer Foods.

Although independent of PepsiCo, the fund collaborates with like-minded partners and develops solutions that address critical issues surrounding the country’s food security and hunger.

“It is the collaboration effort brought together by different stakeholders that makes this [initiative] powerful. Having partnered with several stakeholders, our intention of co-creating innovative solutions with key partners and scaling the impact through catalytic investments is bringing about positive results that will benefit and uplift not only the industry but also the broader community,” Tilo concludes.