In our efforts to transfer knowledge and raise awareness about pig farming, SAPPO Academy has introduced a school’s programme targeting both agricultural schools and colleges of agriculture. This initiative represents a substantial step towards attending to the challenges faced by the pork industry while providing invaluable learning opportunities for learners and students in our communities.
Bridging the gap between education and pig farming
The programme aims to inspire and educate learners about the various correct methods of farming with pigs by focusing on schools and colleges situated in mostly the deep rural areas, where such information is rare to acquire. This initiative not only brings much-needed resources and attention to these often-overlooked regions, but also taps into a rich vein of untapped potential. Most rural communities, where pig farming is often a way of life, are fertile grounds for nurturing the next generation of pig farmers and possibly pig specialists. The SAPPO Academy school’s programme aims to share knowledge that will inspire learners to share gained knowledge with their parents back home. Sharing basic pig farming practices with these learners will hopefully inspire good pig farming practices now and in the future.
Hands-on learning and practical experience
Some of the schools visited have small piggeries on the school premises, complementing a significant element of the programme, which is the prominence of hands-on learning. Students partake in the classroom session, where the theory of pig farming is explained, and are later exposed to the practical realities thereof. Learners are exposed to all the basic principles of pig production, either theoretically or practically. With theory sessions offered through the SAPPO Academy learning videos, both learners and students are granted an opportunity to experience modern pig facilities.
A hopeful future for pig farming in rural areas
The SAPPO Academy school’s programme is more than just an educational initiative for the students, it is also a catalyst for positive change for rural South Africa and brings inspiration to the learners. SAPPO Academy’s investment in the education and development of young people means that the programme empowers a steady pipeline of skilled farmers who will lead their communities into the future.
