South Africa: Cochran Success Story
In FY2014 FAS/Pretoria sent eight South Africans from the public and private sectors to participate in a Farm Management training course through the USDA Cochran Fellowship Program. The course emphasized skills transfer and empowerment for emerging farm sector officials and managers. During a two-week visit to the United States, the Cochran fellows learned about effective policies and best practices to ensure greater participation by farmers in the agricultural value chain as well as the economy as a whole. Since returning home to South Africa, one Cochran alumni has been transferring the skills he learned during the training program to students at his school and neighboring schools, aspiring farmers, and other local community members. His goal is to instill entrepreneurial skills through hands-on involvement in sustainable vegetable production.
