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Ashton Mutyavaviri
INDIVIDUALS intending to enrol for the Zimbabwe Online Agriculture College’s (ZOAC) August 2024 intake must apply before July 31, the Department of Agriculture Education (DAE) in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development has said.
In a flier recently posted on X (formerly Twitter), the DAE hinted that their target students were beneficiaries of the land reform programme, agricultural entrepreneurs, farm personal such as managers, supervisors, foreman) and smallholder farmers wishing to improve production, productivity and profitability to contribute effectively towards both household and national food security.
The college is currently running two programmes – the general and executive certificates in agricultural business management. Both programmes will run for a year.
The general certificate targets farm personnel (farm managers, supervisors, foreman) and smallholder farmers. Successful applicants pay a fee of US$400 per semester.
The executive certificate targets farm owners and agricultural entrepreneurs with the fees pegged at US$500 per semester.
“All applicants must pay a non-refundable fee of US$20 or Zimbabwe Gold (ZIG) equivalent at interbank rate and get a proof of payment,” read part of the message on the flier.
ZOAC uses internet based technologies to enable learners to do lessons from anywhere, including homes and farms.
The entry requirements are three ordinary level subjects of any combination, any professional or academic qualifications, own or access to land, a smart phone, a tablet or computer and good internet connectivity.
Knowledge and skills development is the bedrock of the current agricultural transformation and rural development thrust that is expected to turn Zimbabwe into an upper middle income economy by 2030.
The ZOAC was formed in April 2023 to close the knowledge gap in the agriculture industry.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU) secretary general Mr Paul Zakariya urged suitable candidates to apply for online college programmes to enhance their knowledge and skills and acquire information that will help them transform their agriculture practices.
“ICT solutions are critical for a sustainable agriculture sector, as they answer to the commands of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) framework and help mitigate effects of climate change to enhance food security,” he said.
He further stressed that the development would essentially expand aspiring students’ access to quality education, facilitate skills development and make it possible for aspiring agricultural professionals to access high quality tutorials and mentorship from any corner of the country.
“The online option will reduce geographical barriers and enable students to attend lessons regardless of where they are situated across the country. There will be no challenges of physical movement to an institution for lectures but students can even do their lessons elsewhere attending to something else.
“It is refreshing to note that online agricultural education, just like any other subject, gives students an exclusive chance to reduce, close or even exceed the education gap that usually exists between urban and rural areas,” said Mr Zakariya.
The Government has been mainstreaming information and communication technology (ICT) in agriculture to provide farmers with vital information and data.
Online Reporter