MAHIKENG – In a decisive effort to tackle youth unemployment and cultivate a new generation of agricultural entrepreneurs, the North West Department of Agriculture and Rural Development will host an induction ceremony for unemployed agricultural graduates on Monday, 17 August 2026.
The event, scheduled to take place in Potchefstroom, marks the official rollout of a targeted intervention aimed at equipping young professionals with the necessary skills, practical experience, and market opportunities to participate meaningfully in the provincial agricultural economy.
Persistent unemployment remains one of the North West province’s most critical socioeconomic challenges, disproportionately affecting young people and tertiary graduates.
In response, the Department continues to implement strategic programmes designed to bridge the gap between academic qualifications and real-world agricultural practices.
The Unemployed Graduate Placement Programme serves as a cornerstone of these interventions. Funded through the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme (CASP), this initiative provides selected graduates with 24 months of structured, hands-on experience.
Over the next two years, the participants will be placed on commercial farms and with various host entities across the province, gaining vital exposure to agribusiness operations, production techniques, and enterprise management.
By embedding these graduates directly into operational agricultural environments, the Department aims to transform theoretical knowledge into sustainable entrepreneurial ventures, ultimately boosting provincial food security and driving economic growth.
