Dutch project shows South Africa new ways to grow

On Thursday the 9th of March 2017, certificates have been issued to the partners of the Gauteng Capacity Building project. This project, made possible by the Dutch Embassy in Pretoria and the RVO, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, has created new ways of training and education in agriculture in Gauteng (South Africa).

Trainer Herbert Stolker and the trainees, proudly showing their BTEC certificates

Capacity Building Gauteng project
The cooperation in the project between the local partners ARC, Buhle Farmers’ Academy, Qutom Farms, GDARD ASNAPP and Delphy started in February 2016. In this project the partners developed new ways of training, new sustainable business models and training on BTEC, a worldwide recognised course in horticulture. This course, offered by Lentiz and adapted to South African conditions by Delphy, has a specific focus on greenhouse vegetables. Via an on-line teaching system, trainers from the local partners were trained to become future trainers of this course themselves.

New forms of cooperation
The five partners in the project all represent a unique way of training and knowledge dissemination. Together with Delphy they joined forces to better serve the Gauteng knowledge infrastructure in the horticultural field. This way of complementing each other’s strengths in this field in a consortium is a new concept for Gauteng. The partners expressed their trust in this concept by signing a Memorandum of Understanding.

Partners GDARD, ARC, DELPHY, QUTOM, BUHLE AND QUTOM

Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD)
From the start in 2016 GDARD strongly supported the project. Mr Motlatjo Makaepea has been a thriving force in this.

Continuation
Insights and experiences, gained in the project, raised enthusiasm with the partners and the government. Even to the extent that the partners decided to reach out to continued cooperation. The aim is to sustain innovative ways of knowledge development and knowledge implementation in Gauteng. GDARD has a positive intention to facilitate this process. In doing so GDARD and the partners hope to contribute to job creation, food security and a sustainable and economically strong agricultural sector.

For more information:
Delphy
info@delphy.nl
www.delphy.nl