Pretoria: South Africa is grappling with two interconnected challenges - persistently high youth unemployment and declining local food production. A new pilot is testing whether both can be tackled at once with a bold new idea – skipping the job hunt and building businesses instead.

A farming initiative led by non-profit organisation Afrika Tikkun, and funded and supported by impact investor, E Squared Investments, is positioning small-scale agritech as a viable and dignified start-up pathway for young people to earn an income and build sustainable livelihoods while contributing to local food security and economic growth.

Launched on 5 May, the Green Acres Hydro-Coop programme is equipping 20 young participants to run revenue-generating micro-farming ventures using compact, solar-powered systems that produce both chickens and vegetables, with the longer-term goal of building a scalable model that can support new cohorts of youth over time.

The pilot comes as South Africa continues to face severe labour market pressure, particularly among young people and women, who remain disproportionately excluded from formal work opportunities.

From Training to Enterprise

The programme began in February, with the participants entering a practical development phase that combines training with live business operations. Since then, they have been involved in programmes covering hydroponics, farm management and entrepreneurship, while simultaneously launching their own micro-enterprises to supply various retail outlets.

The Hydro-Coop unit is a smart farming system that combines poultry production with hydroponic vegetable growing. The units run on solar power, require no permanent infrastructure and use substantially less water than conventional farming methods. The crops are grown using sustainable, biodiversity farming methods, giving township youth access to modern, high-value agricultural skills.

Beyond Farming: Building Market-Ready Businesses

Afrika Tikkun, which focuses on transforming the lives of children and youth from cradle to career, has also partnered with Garden Fresh at Joburg’s new green town square, Nine Yards to sell the produce. Participants will work in a customer-designed retail space, gaining hands-on experience in sales and customer service alongside their farming training.

If targets are met, the 20 enterprises are expected to produce annually:

•             22,400 chickens

•             60,000 vegetables

•             Around 228,000 meals

•             Up to 1.5 million litres of water savings

•             Approximately R2.9 million in revenue

•             About R1.74 million in net profit

A Focus on Women in the Economy

“It has been an incredible journey watching these 20 young trailblazers - 19 resilient young women and one determined young man with a disability - reimagine what’s possible in agriculture,” said Simone Moffat, PMO and Agriculture Manager.

Over the past three months of a 12-month programme, participants have moved from training into early-stage entrepreneurship, building and running their own agricultural enterprises. 

She said the young farmers were proof that when skill development is combined with long-term mentorship, farming stops being just a chore and becomes a sustainable career. 

“Agriculture is no longer just about the soil; it’s about the soul of sustainability. These youth aren't just farming for today; they are building the businesses of tomorrow and it’s up to us to make sure that path remains accessible for them.”

Marc Lubner, Group CEO of Afrika Tikkun said the first intake was structured as an almost all-female youth cohort, aimed at women with limited access to formal employment or business opportunities.

“That focus reflects a wider economic reality. Women, particularly younger women, continue to face higher unemployment rates, lower business ownership levels and weaker access to startup capital than male counterparts.”

From Learnership to Ownership

Lubner said that instead of placing participants into temporary work, the project is designed around ownership.

“Agriculture can be a powerful engine for jobs, entrepreneurship and community growth. By giving young South Africans access to infrastructure, practical training and market opportunities, we are helping them build viable businesses and long-term income. At the same time, we are strengthening local food security and creating a model that can be scaled to reach many more young people in the years ahead.”

Scaling a Model for Long-Term Impact

The Green Acres Hydro-Coop model builds on earlier success stories within Afrika Tikkun’s agricultural programmes. One of them is Debra Dagada, who entered the organisation’s agricultural learnership in Gauteng and completed an NQF Level 2 qualification in Plant Production through six months of classroom learning and six months of practical training.

After completing the programme, Dagada moved into entrepreneurship through Green Acres, leasing a 300m² shade-net structure and launching her own farming operation with starter inputs, mentorship and technical support.

She later secured her own land at Northern Farm in Diepsloot, transitioning from trainee to independent farmer. After suffering crop damage during a hailstorm, she rebuilt the business with ongoing mentorship and later secured funding for irrigation infrastructure to improve production.

“My journey is a powerful example of how a learnership can lead to sustainable entrepreneurship. From training to independent farming, I am not just growing crops, I am building a future for myself. I started with an opportunity to learn, and I turned it into an opportunity to lead,” said Dagada.

Service provider UrbanFarm Africa, a South African based Agri-tech and smart food systems business says it has implemented 271 smart farming projects, trained more than 7,500 people, and helped participating farmers generate R250 million over five years.

“We believe in backing solutions that are both practical and enduring.” Said Zakiya Khan, Head of Investments: Social Entrepreneurship at E Squared. “What stands out in this model is its focus on enabling young people to participate meaningfully in the economy, not just through skills development, but through ownership and the ability to generate income over time”.

Afrika Tikkun plans to introduce a new cohort of 20 participants in 2027, with the long-term goal of scaling the model to more communities across South Africa.