THE Tsolo Agriculture and Rural Development Institute (TARDI) will become the first agriculture training institution in the country to partner with the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), to train Animal Health Technicians (AHTs) to open their own business.
This was announced by the MEC for Eastern Cape Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform (DRDAR), Nonkqubela Pieters, during the graduation of 49 students in TARDI, last week.
She said that the UN’s initiative was aimed at strengthening the AHTs through Sustainable Business and through Training for Veterinary Paraprofessionals. The South African Health Technician Competency Framework and TARDI were awarded the contract to host the first training.
“I am happy to announce that TARDI has been identified as a critical stakeholder of the United Nations. This initiative is to create entrepreneurs responding to the changed South African Veterinary Council legislation, allowing Animal Health Technicians to work for own gain to own primary animal health facilities,” said Pieters.
She said that this was the first to occur in South Africa and TARDI being at the forefront of this game-changing initiative is quite an achievement. She added that the first intake in May will see 50 unemployed AHTs, 25 TARDI graduates and the other 25 being North West University graduates, starting the training.
Pieters also announced that the World Organisation for Animal Health founded the Organisation International Epizootic (OIE) that has identified TARDI principal, Dr Nandipha Ndudane, to be part of the ad hoc group working on community animal health workers, standardised curriculum and framework.
“She will be joining a team of experts from around the world. She has also been asked to chair its meetings, which will be virtual in Paris, France – the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) headquarters. In this regard, we wish to congratulate her for this great achievement.”
Pieters further committed the department to assisting agricultural training higher institutions, even if they were transferred to the Department of Higher Education and Training. The overall best-performing student who graduated, Lilitha Xhumana from Mqanduli, expressed joy about their achievement.
“It is not an easy journey; it has been very hard; it needs a lot of sacrifices, dedication and passion. Being in the veterinary world as a female at some point is very challenging, because sometimes you feel as if males are being more superior than females. I did not allow that to let me down because I have told myself I can do whatever men can do,” she said.
The mother of Lilitha, Nokheleni Malingatshoni, said she would bring a change in their home and community by giving them advice to improve their livestock.
“I am very happy; God has blessed me with a child that graduated as I get old,” said Malingatshoni.
