New world of animal health and business created by Tardi and the UN

The Tsolo Agriculture and Rural Development Institute(Tardi) andaUnited Nationsagency aretraining animalhealthtechnicians tostart their own businesses.

The partnership is billed as a first for Mzansi.

Tardihaspartneredwith theUNFoodand AgricultureOrganisation (FAO)to provideanimal health technicians with business skills.

This isthe firsttime anagriculture training institution in SA willbe collaborating with the FAO insuch aprogramme. Theinitiative is aimed at strengthening animal health technicians through a new framework for which Tardiwas awardedthe contracttohost thefirst training programme.

The partnership was announced at the graduation ceremony for 49Tardi students by provincial rural development and agrarian reform MEC Nonkqubela Pieters.

Pieters said: “I am happy to announce that Tardihas beenidentifiedasa criticalstakeholder ofthe United Nations. Thisinitiative is to createentrepreneurs respondingto the changed South African Veterinary Council legislation,allowing animalhealth techniciansto workfortheirown gainandtheycannow ownprimary animalhealthfacilities. Thisis thefirstto occurinSAandTardi beingatthe forefrontof thisgame-changing initiative,is quite an achievement.”

Thefirst intakeisscheduledfor May,with 50 unemployedanimal healthtechnicians, 25 Tardigraduates, and25North WestUniversity graduates expected to participate.

In addition to thepartnership with FAO, Tardi principal Dr ToyotaNdudane has been appointed to an ad hoc group working on communityanimalhealth workers,whichis partof astandardisedcurriculum andframework of the WorldOrganisation for Animal Health. Ndudane joins ateam of experts worldwideand willchairvirtual meetingsfor theorganisations whichis headquarteredin Paris.Dr InnocentSirovha,CEO ofAgriSETA, guestspeaker forthe ceremony,emphasised thesignificance ofeducation andcommunity impact. Heencouraged graduatesto become ambassadors fortheir communitiesand the sector.

Sirovhahas playedanintegralrole inshaping thetraining and development ofthe agriculture sector’sfuture leaders.Tardi’s recognitionof hisexpertise furtheraddsto hiscredibility as a valuable source of advice for graduatesseeking tomakeadifference intheir communities.

Atthe graduation,the overallbest-performing student, Lilitha Xhumana from Mqanduli,expressed herjoyand spokecandidly about her journey.

“

It’s not been easy, it’s been very hard. It takesa lotsacrifices,dedication andpassion. Being in the veterinary worldas a woman at some point is very challenging because sometimes youfeel likemen arebehave asif they are superior,” she said.

“I didn’tallow thattoletme downtellingI can dowhatever men cando. Theissue of gender doesn’t affectme. It’sa beautifulday and I’vebeen waitingforitsince thefirstbecause I told myself I’d graduate cum laude. I never ever shied awayfrom that goal. And hereIam, proofthatifyou planyourgoals properly anything is possible.”

Masixole Basana, speaking on behalf of the classof 2022,said ithadbeen roughwhen their first year was hitby the outbreak of Covid-19.

If you re notwillingto sacrifice,don t come to Tardi. Yes, 2020was tough, but here we are against all odds. The knowledge we got here will develop thecommunity where we come from. Here at Tardi,you just arrive with yourbags. Whenyou applyatTardi youdon t have to apply for a bursary, it is done here.

There are people whohave started their own businesses because of the stipends from thebursary suppliersand Ihave alsocreated an NGO anddonated to schools. Let sgo out thereandmakea difference.Evenifyouare unemployed,do communityservice byhelping people to understand animal diseases, Basana said.

Tardiprincipal Ndudanecommendedthe graduates, statingthat around60% ofthe 297 students who have graduated from Tardi since 2015were employedinboththe publicand private sectors. He said: My advice is to always be the mostinteresting person in the roombecause youshouldmake yourmark. Showcase your abilities, show the passion.”— This story first appearedon the Food for Mzansi website.