Bachelor of Agriculture in Agricultural Extension and Rural Resource Management

The Bachelor of Agriculture (Agricultural Extension & Rural Resources Management) was developed to address the changing agricultural landscape in South Africa. The changes redirect agriculture to the majority population which has been marginalised and generally denied meaningful access to the agricultural sector of the South African economy. This vision for agriculture requires agricultural extension practitioners who can facilitate the establishment of self-reliant farmers who are contributing to widespread prosperity.

The qualification aims to train and equip agricultural extension practitioners with the skills, knowledge and attitudes needed to build the capacity of farmers and farming communities to engage in market-‐orientated sustainable agricultural production, diversification of products and value adding, to improve their household livelihoods and to contribute to strengthening the rural economy.

The qualification was designed to train Agricultural Extension practitioners who will work in agricultural and rural development in the NGO sector, for government service, for agri-business and for other private sector companies involved with farmers and rural communities.

Bachelor of Agriculture graduates will help meet the demand for professionals who can lead and manage agricultural extension through the complexities of agricultural and rural transformation. It prepares them with a deliberate mix of extension, development and agricultural production and management competencies. The agricultural extension component is grounded in a learning framework and the agricultural component is grounded in a practice framework.