"South Africa's agricultural future depends on young people who understand both the science and the business of farming"
Source: VFD.com
Training covers hydroponics, crop management, plant nutrition, pest and disease management, record keeping and controlled environment agriculture. "Through HandPicked, we are equipping participants with practical, workplace-ready skills that help them see agriculture as a pathway to employment, enterprise and long-term economic participation." © Mr.
Price Foundation Preparing young people for the sector The two-month Farming Essentials Programme introduces participants to modern horticulture through practical training in hydroponics, planting, fertilizing, AgriBoost application, pest and disease management, harvesting and record keeping. Participants can then progress to the six-month Professional Farming Programme, which combines advanced technical training with business and commercial skills.
Supporting employment and food security According to the foundation, practical agricultural training is becoming increasingly important as South Africa seeks to address youth unemployment while strengthening local food systems. The HandPicked programme forms part of the Mr Price Foundation's goal of positively impacting 500,000 young people by 2035 through skills development initiatives.
Why this matters: For operators, this is a water-management story. The useful signal is that direct substrate measurements can help cut drain loss materially without giving up yield or fruit quality, which is exactly the kind of controllable efficiency gain a facility can build on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does substrate sensing matter in free-drain strawberry systems?
Because drain percentage tells a grower what already happened, while substrate moisture and EC data show root-zone conditions directly. That makes it easier to cut water loss without guessing.
What is the operator takeaway from this trial?
If the thresholds are understood well enough, growers can reduce drain water materially while protecting yield and fruit quality, which makes sensing an operational tool instead of a reporting tool.
