Description
This document contains a sectoral analysis of the agro-processing sector in South Africa with reference to the implications for skills development. It is one of six skills development projects administered by the Education, Science and Skills Development (ESSD) research programme of the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC). This study is set out in five chapters as follows:
Chapter 1 provides an overview of the agro-processing sector and prioritises three agroprocessing sub-sectors for more detailed profiles and quantitative and qualitative descriptions. It also includes an analysis of key labour indicators (e.g. productivity data) for the prioritised sub-sectors.
Chapter 2 focuses on employment and occupational data in the prioritised sub-sectors to conduct an analysis of the demand for skills in the prioritised sub-sectors. It also includes an analysis of recent vacancy data for occupational categories relevant to the prioritised sub-sectors.
Chapter 3 focuses on data for graduates from tertiary education institutions to understand the provision of those skills that are relevant to the prioritised sub-sectors. It also identifies bottlenecks and constraints in skills development as well as scarce skills within the prioritised sub-sectors.
Chapter 4 contains nine case studies which were conducted with companies in the prioritised sub-sectors. These case studies are aimed at identifying the levels of segmentation with regard to skill requirements which arise because of differentiation between companies within the prioritised sub-sectors.
Chapter 5 contains recommendations based on an analysis of the demand and supply data as well as the case studies, aimed at proposing sector and skills development initiatives that respond to the current and future trends in the prioritised sub-sectors.
This report relies on various sources of statistical data; including:
f Industry data
– Various indicators of relevant agro-processing sectors (Quantec)
– Production statistics (Statistics South Africa)
f Labour demand data
– Formal and informal sector employment (Quantec)
– Database of vacancy advertisements placed in the Sunday Times (HSRC)
f Labour supply data
– Higher Education Management and Information System (HEMIS) supply data (HSRC)
– Further Education and Training Management and Information System (FETMIS) supply data (HSRC)
