Thirteen students from disadvantaged backgrounds will benefit from the R250 000 presented to the University of Venda Land Bank Chair of Agriculture on Wednesday afternoon. The Land Bank Chair of Agriculture at the University of Venda (Univen) was established in 2003, as a joint partnership agreement between the Land Bank and the University of Venda to develop agriculture and research in South Africa. This is the third time that the Land Bank has offered financial support to poor students at the University of Venda.

In 2004, the Land Bank granted the sum of R154 500 to the Univen Chair of Agriculture, which provided bursaries to 20 postgraduate students. In 2005, the Land Bank approved the sum of R209 310, which provided bursaries for 15 postgraduate students and to support staff research on the sustainability of small holder farming systems in the Limpopo province.

When presenting the R250 000 cheque, Land Bank’s Agricultural Economist of the Tzaneen Branch, Samson Ramonedi, said the objectives of Land Bank are the promotion, facilitation and support of development programmes aimed at historically disadvantaged persons or groups of such persons for the development of farming enterprises and agricultural purposes.

“Most companies nowadays need to employ people with expertise but are reluctant to offer financial help to the underprivileged so that they empower themselves with knowledge by getting educated. At Land Bank, we have come to realize that we don’t have to sit back and put the blame on our erstwhile government in trying to develop our masses. In that way, we will be able to alleviate, if not to eradicate, the scourge of poverty because education is the best weapon against all odds. South Africa needs learned people to compete against the best in the world and it is the duty of businesses to make sure that this is realized by offering educational assistance. Education is the birthright of every child and we have to work together to feed the hungry, indigent masses so that they can contribute in the economic development of our society.”

Univen’s Registrar, Khuliso Nemadzivhanani, said the cheque presentation was a clear indication that the joint fight against poverty and illiteracy by the University of Venda and Land Bank is bearing fruits. He said the donation will cement the relationship between the two organizations. “Our agricultural sector and the community in general will benefit from this money which the university is receiving with pride today. Land Bank has given us immeasurable financial support in the past and we appreciate their initiative to assist the indigent members of the community to pursue their educational dreams. It is important to improve the knowledge base of agriculture because agriculture forms the backbone of the economy. Food security and economic growth are the result of productive agriculture around the world.”