Agricultural students in Zimbabwe have called for recognition from farmers and farming organisations during their internship period.
This comes amid reports that they face “very tough” periods while on attachment.
Leaving colleges and universities with zeal to link their theories with practicals , the students find themselves doing general duties like herding cattle, tilling fields when their curricula demand technology.
They complained further that some farmers were considering them as a form of cheap labour.
One student said in an interview that: “We don’t want to be farm managers, supervisors or foremen, but we should at least be at a position to be able to run the farm,” he said.
“You will find that a person doing horticulture will spend his/her time doing general duties in the piggery unit. A person doing mechanisation spends most of the time, if not all, doing general duties, including herding cattle.”
”We are lagging behind as a continent because we continue depending on muscle when brain is needed ”
However, one farmer contacted for comment said: “From the look of things, the students should learn how complex farm systems work and they should consider it for correction and the betterment of future farming generations. They should accept that most farmers don’t have vacancies to accommodate them, but they are just trying to fit them in so that they can get better work experience.”
