Tongaat Hulett awards ten students with bursaries to study cane farming

Ten students will benefit from bursaries granted by agri-business giant, Tongaat Hulett to help them study towards a national diploma in agriculture during the 2024 academic year.

More than 50 students have already benefitted from the Tongaat Hulett Agricultural Bursary Programme in the past seven years. 

Snethemba Kunene, Tongaat Hulett’s socio-economic development manager, said the company’s partnership with Owen Sitole College of Agriculture in Empangeni on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast, has seen youth from various cane farming communities securing bursaries to pursue their studies in crop production at the reputed agricultural college.

“The objective of the programme is to assist the college to become a centre of excellence, particularly in sugarcane farming, as it seeks to support students, who demonstrate exceptional characteristics in their academic endeavours,” said Kunene.

Candidates are selected for their commitment to academic excellence, their ability to make things happen in their school and surrounding communities, and their courage to initiate activities and encourage other learners to participate to ensure the continuity of the bursary programme.

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Tongaat Hulett signed a collaboration agreement with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, which focused on education and training, localisation and capacity building, and infrastructure development. 

All bursary students at the college are assisted to attend the Senior Certificate Course in Sugarcane Agriculture, facilitated by the South African Sugarcane Research Institute. Tongaat Hulett would then make recommendations for qualifying students to access further training opportunities within Tongaat Hulett and the company’s partners through its growers. 

This year, Tongaat Hulett has committed to taking on six agricultural interns as part of the organisation’s internship programme, funded by AgriSETA. 

Previously Tongaat Hulett partnered with the MTN Foundation to establish a computer lab, fully equipped with 40 desktops, digital screens, printers and a state-of-the-art projector.

This investment was to assist unlock the full potential of agricultural students at the college. 

Kunene explained, “The company is committed to promoting sustainable development through agriculture in the areas in which Tongaat Hulett operates. The company also recognises the importance of improving access to quality education and training for rural students. The formation of strategic partnerships such as that with the agricultural college will enable the company to respond to the government’s priorities of job creation, skills development and poverty alleviation.”