THE UNIQUE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE FOR THE YOUTH IN AGRICULTURE.
THE UNIQUE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE FOR THE YOUTH IN AGRICULTURE.
"At the very heart of agriculture is the drive to feed the world." - Ben Potter
I was having a cup of coffee and a muffin at OR Tambo International Airport recently whilst waiting for a flight. As the waitress placed my order on the table I thought about the many agricultural processes that had to take place for me to indulge in a seemingly mundane meal in an bustling airport terminal where nobody else seemed to be thinking about agriculture. Somewhere a farmer produced seed, another planted that seed to produce wheat, nourished it with fertilizer, protected it with herbicides and pesticides, harvested it, and passed it over to the dozens of players in the value chain to produce high quality flour. Another farmer planted maize or soy to produce the feed for hen that laid the eggs. Somewhere another farmer had to cultivate lush pastures for a cow to graze to produce the cup of milk which down the road got mixed into my muffin batter and my coffee. Each ingredient touched by a farmer. That is not yet mentioning the cocoa farmer in Ghana, or the coffee farmer in Costa Rica who cultivated products for people in countries they would most likely never see. I have always been amazed by the intricacy of agricultural value chains and the immense impact they have on economic factors like employment. I am convinced that if our society better understood the role of agricultural value chains in their personal livelihoods we would have a greater respect for food.
Whilst my family finished their meal the tears welled up in their eyes. A year ago they left me at the airport as I departed for Spain to pursue an opportunity in agriculture, thinking they would be like so many other South African parents – with children scattered across the globe. But this time it was my younger brother, a young engineer and bubbling pot of potential who was departing to the Netherlands where he has now started the rest of his life alongside thousands of other South Africans who are also celebrating the hard work and dedication it takes to be able to leave the country. I thought about my muffin and every person and life that was touched simply by the demand for a lemon-poppy snack – and the sheer demand for food. Regardless of whether the consumer is in the Netherlands or in Gauteng food will always be their top demand, and farmers will have a purpose. South Africa has abundant natural resources and an agricultural history worth being proud of. Whether our fruit is enjoyed in Paris or Parys, our agricultural mission is noble.
We form part of a generation where one of the greatest perceived achievements is to leave the country. A country where our unemployment is at record-breaking highs, electricity and running water are nice-to-haves, and where education seems out of reach for far too many. Entering the agricultural sector, regardless of where you find yourself in the world, is not the “sexiest” pursuit. Urbanisation lures people to cities, and the rapid technological transformation we see in society today seems so far from the soil to those who are not driven to feed the world. Agriculture is the foundation of so many other economic activities. Somewhere we have turned the meaning of “foundation” in agriculture from cornerstone, to stepping stone – as if one must start at agriculture and move on to something greater. I have a hope for the youth in agriculture today. Regardless of their academic background or employment history. I am referring to any person who is driven to feed the world and to improve our sustainability. This industry forms the foundation, not a stepping stone to be hopped over nonchalantly, but the cornerstone of our existence. I am fortunate to have experienced the vast opportunities and development within the agricultural industry around the world, and even though so many of my peers have left South Africa I have come to find that staying is a unique competitive advantage. We were raised in a generation where we were told to pursue careers with better employment prospects and higher pay scales, or to pursue careers where we can find opportunity elsewhere. But as long as there are people, there is a demand for muffins, and even something as paramount as an airport regardless of its location requires agriculture to function. South Africa, whilst we are faced with many challenges, holds ample opportunities for agriculture, to feed people regardless of where they are in the world. Where there are challenges – we need people. There will always be room in our agricultural industry for ambitious, hard-working visionaries who are willing to get their hands dirty, looking to join the business of feeding the world and to step up to the challenge that lies before us.
Michelle Marais
Michelle is currently 25 years old and is an alum of the University of the Free State where she completed her Masters in Agricultural Economics. She also holds an AgriMBA from the International School of Agri Management in Spain. She has recently returned to South Africa where she is working in the RussellStone Group in Pretoria. Her most recent ventures have her interested in the cotton value chain and the textiles industry where she hopes to make a meaningful contribution to the revitalisation of the sector within South Africa which can potentially create thousands of jobs.
