Unit 10: From Learning to Leading: Next Steps on your Agroecology Journey

Welcome to this unit, which will help you turn your learning into leading the way for yourself and others

In many developing countries like South Africa, there just aren’t enough formal jobs to keep up with all the young people looking for work. That’s why simply waiting for a job isn’t an option anymore. What we really need are doers and problem-solvers: people like you who can spot opportunities, use your skills in creative ways to shape your own livelihoods. Agroecology gives you the tools to do just that. As these units have shown you, you can start small enterprises like growing and selling fresh vegetables, saving and sharing seeds or seedlings, turning crops into products like jams or pickles, offering gardening services, or even teaching others about sustainable farming. Unit 9 also gave you some basic business skills needed to run your own business. By putting these and other green skills into practice, you don’t just create work for yourself, you also open doors for others in your community. Building your own business or creating your own work helps tackle unemployment, boosts the local economy, and makes communities stronger and more resilient.