NERPO & SAYA CO-OP AGM & NATIONAL CONFERENCE
09 May 2005
Keynote: Speaker
Dr. Essop Pahad
Minister: Presidency Office
Other Key Speakers,
Ms. A.T. Didiza: Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs
Mr. M.K.N. Gigaba: Deputy Minister of Home Affairs
Prof. N. Ndebele: Chairperson of the Higher Education in South Africa (HESA)
Mr. J. Vilakazi: Managing Director of Black Management Forum
Mr. J. Mbalula: Chairperson National Youth Commission, and many more
In view of the bottlenecks that encircled youth and women empowerment in agriculture, the National Emergent Red Meat Producers Organisation (NERPO) in association with its subsidiary business and entrepreneurial entity, the South African Youth Co-operative (SAYA CO-OP) Limited of which NERPO is a founder member, are to host the National Conference themed "Synergising meaningful participation of youth and women in the AgriBEE framework", from the 14th to 16th of September this year.
This historic occasion embodies NERPO's recommitment to socio-economic empowerment of the historically disadvantaged communities, most particularly livestock emerging farmers, youth and women while ensuring their meaningful participation in the mainstream value chain of the agricultural economy. In this regard NERPO has drawn in key government role players, financial institutions, development agencies, organised agriculture, and other key stakeholders to unlock bottlenecks that hinders a process of bridging a huge gap that exist between the emerging and commercial groups in the agricultural sector, while mapping out a way forward on overcoming such bottlenecks.
On this backdrop, NERPO has since initiated youth empowerment programme, that aims at enskilling unemployed agricultural graduates aged between 18 & 35 who are drawn from historical disadvantaged communities, to provide them with credible technical, business and life skills that will enable them fair opportunity to compete in both formal job & business markets. In the same vein NERPO launched the South African Youth Agribusiness Co-operative (SAYA Co-op) in January this year. The initiative was overseen by the Honourable Minister of Labour Mr. Membathisi Mdladlana as a landmark for further creation of agribusiness and employment opportunities for the unemployed South African agricultural graduates. It also aims at extending meaningful participation of the youth and women in the mainstream value adding chain of the agricultural sector, while enhancing the objectives of the AgriBEE framework.
NERPO has now embarked on the national campaign to launch provincial youth agribusiness co-operatives so as to expand accessibility and advocacy of the programme to unemployed agricultural graduates nation wide. In order to ensure sustainability and viability of these co-operatives, NERPO has drawn-in established agribusiness companies, financial institutions such as Land Bank, ABSA, development agencies, agricultural professionals, and other stakeholders to forge business partnerships with these co-operatives.
In view of all the above, the National Executive Council (NEC) of NERPO and the Chairperson of the South African Youth Agribusiness Co-operative Limited, cordially invites livestock emerging farmers, unemployed agricultural graduates, young agribusiness entrepreneurs, agricultural professionals, government officials, agribusiness corporates, financial institutions, development agencies, and many more who have interest in making a difference in the country's agricultural economy, to attend and support this historic occasion. At the same occasion, NERPO & SAYA Co-op will separately hold their Annual General Meetings (AGMs) to reflect on their operational, economic and strategic matters for the year under review.
Registration is a the most reasonable rates, and requests to support emerging farmers, youth, and women in agriculture from historical disadvantaged areas, have been extended to district and local municipalities, provincial youth commissions, and these groups are asked to contact their local and district municipalities should their require assistance to attend this conference.
End.
Enquiries:
Siyabulela Makunga
Manager: Marketing & Corporate Communications
Tel : +27 (0) 12 361 9127
Fax : +27 (0) 12 361 4430
Cell : +27 (0) 82 483 7155/ +27 (0) 83 677 8631
Email : siyabulelam@nerpo.org.za website www.nerpo.org.za
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