Good shearer training is essential to any wool industry. A partnership by the National Wool Growers’ Association (NWGA), the Agricultural Sector Education and Training Authority (AgriSETA), and the Land and Agricultural Development Bank of South Africa (Land Bank), is ensuring that the shearer training programme for 2020/2021 is better than ever to ensure South African shearing remains on a solid footing.
The NWGA and AgriSETA are proud to have partnered with Land Bank in the 2020/2021 shearer training programme.
Land Bank decided to allocate funds to this programme, since it is a mechanism for the organisation to track the progress of promising shearers who show the potential to climb the ladder to success in the shearing industry.
Top-performing leaners from the different shearing courses will be selected to participate in future local, regional, and even national shearer championships. This will create an opportunity for them to be identified and invited to join a shearing team.
Phase 1 of the project saw Land Bank-funded training courses rolled out for 97 shearers in the communal areas of the Eastern Cape during the period of September to November 2020. Of the trained shearers, 93% were blade shearers and 7% were machine shearers.
The photographs you see here, highlight some of the training courses held at Macubeni (September), Upper Mkhaphusi (October), Ngxabangu and Mthingwevu (November), and Lower Kroza (October). There is a clear need for proper shearing facilities when compared to other sites, where funders in partnership with the NWGA, has provided communities with proper wool-handling facilities. Adequate tools, facilities, and infrastructure are critical for good shearing practices to become embedded.
The NWGA wants to express its sincere appreciation to Land Bank for its valuable partnership and loyal support of the NWGA’s initiative to uplift the communal areas of the Eastern Cape, and we look forward to a possible phase 2 of this programme. – Bonita Francis
