Starke Ayres

About Starke Ayres

Starke Ayres is one of the best-known seed companies in Africa. Its roots go back to 1877, when English nurseryman Charles Ayres opened a nursery in Rosebank, Cape Town. In the 1890s Christopher Starke built a separate grain and produce business. The two firms merged in 1920, and the company has grown into a leading supplier of vegetable, flower and lawn seed.

Today the head office is in Johannesburg, and the company forms part of the Plennegy Group. It has its own breeding programmes, which began in the 1980s, and it opened pathology and biotechnology laboratories in Kempton Park in 2012. Starke Ayres also operates in Namibia, Kenya, Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Both commercial farmers and home gardeners buy its seed.

How Starke Ayres supports students

Breeding better crops takes trained scientists. For that reason, the company offers bursaries to students who want careers in agriculture. Its bursary programme has covered plant science, plant physiology, genetics, plant breeding, plant biotechnology, microbiology and plant pathology. It has also included plant protection, post-harvest technology, plant production, soil science and plant nutrition.

Funding has been open to BSc and BSc (Agric) students, as well as to those studying at honours, master's and PhD level. This is useful because many agricultural careers need postgraduate study. In earlier calls, the bursary covered registration and tuition fees, prescribed books and residence accommodation, up to a stated yearly maximum of R37,500. The award is made for one academic year at a time. It is renewable if the student keeps up satisfactory marks.

The seed industry is driven by research, so the company's work links closely to university science. Its breeding programmes cover crops such as green beans, pumpkin, squash, sweetcorn, tomatoes and peppers. Students who study these crops at university can therefore see where their theory is applied. This practical link helps graduates picture a future career before they leave campus.

What to know before applying

Applicants must be South African citizens with a strong academic record, studying full-time at a recognised South African university. Because the programme is small and specialised, competition can be tough. Show your interest in agriculture clearly in your application, and explain how your chosen field connects to seed science.

Published bursary notices do not spell out whether a work-back period applies, and amounts can change from year to year. Therefore, do not rely on older figures. The Starke Ayres careers page lists the current bursary opportunities, the required documents and the closing date.

Students who finish a plant-science degree may also find openings in breeding, laboratory and production roles. Entry-level breeder positions have been advertised in the past, which shows a clear career path from campus to company.