Future Farmers, which is based in Howick KwaZulu-Natal, was founded by Judy Stuart in 2006 and is an organisation working with youth between the ages of 18 and 26 years old who are mainly from remote rural communities. Its goal is to develop these young people into commercial farmers.

There is a critical shortage of skilled, young black farmers. There are thousands of unemployed youths (school leavers and graduates) and many of them wish to access the agricultural sector but are unable to do so. Some have poor academic records (that do not reflect their ability or potential) and others simply cannot afford tertiary education. In the past, little attention has been paid to the training of competent black commercial farmers. All of this has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 lockdowns as well as the increased minimum wage, which resulted in reduced employment opportunities.

Future Farmers started off with three young schoolboys Stuart met at a youth show who had done very well training young heifers and had been in the provincial team. The boys were about to finish school but unfortunately none of them had the funds or academic achievements required for further education.

Discovering that they were likely to be unemployable mortified Stuart as she recognised the talent that the boys had for farming and couldn’t bear to see it wasted. “I saw in these young people a real passion and I could identify with them,” she said. As Stuart was a dairy farmer and knew a lot of other dairy farmers, she asked them to take on these young people. She requested that they be paid a minimum wage and that she would help with mentorship, which would be soft skill based.

The following year their friends phoned her, asking if Stuart could help them as well. “Obviously I couldn’t say no and the year after that I got more calls. Eventually I closed down my own dairy because there was so much work to do, that I couldn’t do both. It has been an incredible experience for me.”

Future Farmers Foundation started after the first students were placed on farms in 2006 and the first intern sent abroad in 2007, providing platforms from which young men and women who love farming can become successful commercial farm managers or farmers. An apprenticeship system accommodates school leavers who are unable to attend universities but are passionate about farming and have an excellent work ethic and attitude.

As agriculture has such a vast number of sectors, Future Farmers really focuses on what each farmer loves doing which can be anything from vegetable farming to poultry to rabbits or dairy. “If someone wakes up every morning and does something that they love, they are going to be successful – it’s hard to fail,” explained Stuart.

Candidates start on farms where they gain experience, working their way from the bottom up with promotions being earned as they develop a wide range of essential skills. After a minimum of two years, those who have excelled in their work apply for an overseas internship (grant funding is provided by a range of sponsors).

Future Farmers provides the following training:
 Jobseeker readiness and workplace ethic
 Exposure to practical commercial farming
 Access to knowledge and information
 Practical farming skills
 Soft skill training

Future Farmers’ work creates value and makes an integral contribution to the South African food supply system through:
 Supporting transformation by creating opportunities for previously disadvantaged youth
 Developing business partners since many of our farmers become involved in the agribusiness
supply chain
 Skills development and capacity building in many agricultural sectors including secondary sector
 Share of best practices and innovative approaches to farming

The organisation’s operations are based on a simple model:
• Interviewing of applicants throughout the year
• Targeting of their particular passion
• Work readiness programmes
• Diversification of skills to include drone pilot training, cheese making and more
• Securing funding to enable the placement of candidates through salary subsidies
• Placement of candidates on suitable farming operations
• Assistance with employment contracts, CVs etc
• Secure funding for overseas internships. A rolling fund from which interest free loans are made is available and interns pay back using their earnings during the internship. The funds are then used to send the next intern. Although internships are on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic, future internships are planned
• Ongoing mentorship to any Future Farmers who need it
• Assist interns with suitable employment on their return