Call for nominations for the 2019 #YAFF awards

Nominations can be made into the following categories:

Agriculture

The entrant should be involved in the cultivation of horticultural or field crops and/or the rearing of livestock or poultry to produce meat, wool or other products.

The two categories under this theme are smallholder and commercial. For the purposes of this competition, smallholder refers to a farmer that produces for household consumption and markets and primarily strives to earn revenue from his/her business as a source of income for the family, while commercial refers to a farmer whose production is primarily for the market and makes a considerable living from farming.

Forestry

The entrant should be involved in primary production, agro-forestry related activities or in the commercialisation of non-timber forest products (NTFPs). It is worth noting that NTFP products will only be considered under the forestry category if they are part of a forestry establishment and serve as a support or supplementary activity.

The two categories under this theme are small-scale and commercial. Small-scale refers to a person who produces to meet basic livelihood needs and primarily strives to earn revenue from the businesses as a source of income for the family, while commercial refers a person whose production is primarily for the market and makes considerable living from the business.

Fisheries

The entrant should be involved in either aquaculture, small-scale or commercial fisheries.

The two categories under this theme are small-scale and commercial. Small-scale refers to a person who fishes to meet his/her food and basic livelihood needs, or is directly involved in harvesting, processing or marketing of fish, who traditionally operates on or near shore fishing grounds employing predominantly low technology or passive fishing gear, who usually undertakes single day fishing trips, and is engaged in sales or barter.

Commercial refers to a person who is directly involved in harvesting, processing or marketing of fish, who traditionally operates on or near shore fishing grounds employing advanced technology, who fishes primarily for the market and who makes a considerable living from fishing.

Agro-processing

The entrant should be involved in agro-processing activities of any of the three sub-sectors: agriculture, forestry or fisheries.

The two categories under this theme are small-scale and commercial. Small-scale caters for low-income entities that have ventured into processing activities by taking better advantage of the natural resources and/or resources to which they have access, and which may be easily obtained at a reasonable cost, while commercial refers to enterprises that are processing at a commercial scale using advanced technology to maximise production.

Special Awards: Agricultural graduates and youth living with disabilities

This category refers to graduates of the eleven agricultural colleges who have established a profitable enterprise in agriculture, forestry or fisheries and produces at smallholder or commercial level, while the youth with disabilities award shall consider young people who are living with a disability and is involved in productive economic activities that allow them and their family to subsist.

Entrants must be between 18 and 35 years of age, South African, and from previously disadvantaged backgrounds. Nomination forms can be found on the departments’ website. The closing date for nominations is 15 April and the award ceremony will be held in June.