Jubilation filled the air at the Eastern Cape Department of Agriculture’s Tsolo Agriculture and Rural Development Institute (TARDI) as 38 students graduated with diplomas in Animal Health during the institute’s ninth graduation ceremony since opening in 2015.
Since its establishment, TARDI has produced 412 graduates who are now contributing to the growth and sustainability of the agricultural sector. Through its focus on quality education and practical training, the institute has built a strong reputation as a centre of excellence in animal health.
This year’s ceremony placed strong emphasis on the next step for graduates as they enter the professional world — establishing their own animal health enterprises. Graduates were encouraged to become job creators rather than job seekers by opening veterinary clinics and providing advisory services to rural farming communities.
Eastern Cape MEC for Agriculture, Nonceba Kontsiwe, delivered the closing remarks and described the rural-based institute as a world-class agricultural training institution. She urged graduates to take their skills back to communities and contribute to strengthening the livestock sector.
“You carry a critical mandate of safeguarding our livestock and ensuring that our province remains the heartbeat of national food security,” Kontsiwe said. “Today we commission you as the vanguard that will ensure our commercialisation agenda in rural areas becomes a reality.”
TARDI Principal Dr Nandi Ndudane said the institute actively promotes the participation of women in its programmes and views the graduating class as an important resource for the country’s agricultural future.
“This marks the beginning of their professional journey in a sector that is vital to our economy,” she said. “With the current outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease affecting the livestock industry, these graduates give us hope in combating its spread and improving biosecurity in the Eastern Cape and beyond.”
Ndudane added that the graduates would play an important role in strengthening animal health services, supporting farmers and eventually running their own animal health enterprises.
The success of the programme has been made possible through the support of partners including the Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority (HWSETA), AgriSETA and the Department of Agriculture, which have provided financial support for students as well as funding for infrastructure development.
Speaking on behalf of the graduating class, student Phumla Dube expressed gratitude and pride in the milestone.
“Today is a day of celebration, reflection and immense gratitude. We are gathered not only to receive our qualifications but also to celebrate the journey that has brought us to this moment,” she said
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