SAGE regards small-scale agriculture of all kinds as an enormous potential driver of economic growth.
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Part of our core business is to “grow the growers”.
A number of social problems could be solved by creating a robust pathway into careers in small-scale food production.
Our region has significant areas of under-used agricultural land. We have high youth unemployment. The average age of our farmers is over 60 and there is often a lack of succession planning; 83 per cent of all agriculture, forestry and fishing businesses are owner-operated.
Agriculture presents opportunities for foodie tourism ventures and we have the award-winning SAGE Farmers Market. Demand for organically grown food continues to experience massive growth and is estimated to be worth $2.4 billion nationally in 2018. The signs all point towards local agriculture as our shire’s next growth industry.
For six years, SAGE has offered a nine-month internship, teaching the aspiring farmer many aspects of market gardening, with free use of the SAGE garden and equipment, under the mentorship of a local grower.
While the internship has been vital, it has its limitations: lack of time and availability of the mentors. The mentorship was a voluntary position for the first four years. For the past two years, we have paid for two hours’ support each week. Imagine trying to teach a vocation in just two hours a week!
SAGE’s response to these limitations will be our biggest project yet: Stepping Stone Farm – a market gardening business operated by multiple student growers under the guidance of an established practitioner. The teaching position will be paid, facilitating provision of a full curriculum.
Experiential learning of relevant and practical skills over a longer time frame will enable the students to develop the confidence and experience to succeed in their own ventures. SAGE will continue to assist with the next step in their careers with tight business planning and the opportunity to lease an InCUBEator – another SAGE project – as they continue to develop.
We have the vision. We have developed a business plan. The farm will have the capacity to be self funding after two to three years.
Now, we need to raise the capital to get Stepping Stone Farm up and running.
Watch this space.
SAGE – Sustainable Agriculture and Gardening Eurobodalla