Boland College CoVE strives to bring the industry needs closer to academic delivery
Boland College is exclusively part of two projects funded by agencies in Europe related to the development of knowledge and skills in the...
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OUR GOAL
South Africa's agriculture faces climate change challenges. We need to shift to climate-smart practices, relying on skilled labour to bridge the gap between current abilities and future needs. In our initiative, agricultural TVET colleges work together with industry partners.
We invite horticulture stakeholders to join our CoVE SA (Centre of Vocational Excellence in South Africa) initiative. By aligning your knowledge and skills needs with the education offered by our college partners, we prepare future professionals to tackle climate challenges. Together, we can create a resilient, sustainable horticultural future.
HOW WE DO IT
We support our colleges and horticulture stakeholders to establish local hubs for climate-smart learning and innovation. The hubs are local platforms, used by local stakeholders to share knowledge and collaborate. Hubs bring together farmers, agribusinesses, educators, local government, and civil society.
Each partner college coordinates a local hub and facilitates support activities. In this way, the hub supports farmers to adopt climate-, water-, and soil-smart practices, while the college can better synchronize its curriculum with industry demands.
HOW WE ORGANIZE IT
The CoVE SA initiative has a strong governance structure. Each partner college hosts a CoVE hub where horticulture experts and staff tackle local climate challenges.
Insights are shared with and through the CoVE SA Platform, promoting collaboration. Working Groups and a Steering Committee ensure focused action and broad insight sharing to promote adaptation of climate-smart practices.
PROJECT LEAD:
HOW WE SUPPORT THE COLLEGES:
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Adapt the European CoVE approach to the South African horticulture context.
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Training workshops for college staff on linking to stakeholders using the CoVE approach.
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Support colleges to upgrade curricula with industry input.
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Develop communication tools and regional CoVE scaling plans.
PROJECT PARTNERS:
ROLE OF COLLEGES
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College staff and stakeholders set conditions for local CoVE hubs and define key challenges of local horticulture stakeholders.
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Define practical stakeholder support activities per hub, and plan how each college can facilitate these activities.
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Invite key stakeholders to co-develop the support activities, and plan for learning back into the college.
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Implement the hub’s support activities among local stakeholders, using an activity calendar to pre-announce up-coming events.
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Formulate and implement a sustainable activity scaling strategy per hub, including for after the project.
UPCOMING ACTIVITIES
Our project aligns with South Africa's strategic goals for climate-smart agriculture, supporting the National Development Plan (NDP) Vision 2030, the Agriculture Action Policy Plan (APAP), and the National Climate Change Response Policy (NCCRP). By adopting climate-smart practices, we are not just improving farming methods; we are ensuring the agricultural sector's growth, resilience, and sustainability.
Join us!
Together, we can build a climate-smart, sustainable, and profitable horticultural landscape for South Africa.
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