Cape Town - The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) with Proudly South Africa (SA) has urged young industrialists to get involved in the various sectors, especially in the agriculture and agro-processing economy.
Proudly SA chief executive Eustace Mashimbye said the growing levels of unemployment amongst the youth was alarming and encouraged young people to create their own employment opportunities instead of waiting to get employed.
Mashimbye encouraged youth participation in the agriculture and agro-processing sectors as these markets would always exist and businesses in these sectors had great potential to thrive, especially since Covid-19 revealed that food security was a growing issue.
“Global supply chain disruptions occurred all over the world during the hard (Covid-19) lockdown, which left us to fend for ourselves, and allowed opportunity for those in the agriculture and agro-processing sectors to secure those markets and hold onto them,
“There is great opportunity in the agriculture and related sectors for entrepreneurs to succeed because they are guaranteed markets - people need to eat and food security remains a critical element in the development of our economy. Ultimately, we have to ensure the security of our food supply is in our hands,” said Mashimbye.
DTIC export promotion and marketing chief director Joseph Senona said there was a strong emphasis on supporting the productive sectors in manufacturing and agro-processing with various programmes, especially targeted towards young South African entrepreneurs.
“We also offer mentoring and business coaching and take local entrepreneurs on different trade missions, to international exhibitions and pavilions to promote their products and businesses,” said Senona.
DTIC industrial financing director Donald Mabusela said incentive schemes were available to promote previously marginalised groups, including women, the youth and the disabled.
Mashimbye said it was always the same traditional demographics involved in the sectors, and there was a great need for new entrants.