Read the case study below and answer ALL the questions that follow.

Touws River Commercial Hydroponic Farm

Knowledge Pele, the socio$-$economic development arm of the Pele Energy Group, focused on infrastructure$-$led

development, both develops and invests in industrial and social infrastructure in rural and peri$-$urban areas to create

economically viable communities.

The infrastructure serves as an anchor asset to these communities and unlocks the potential for local economic

development all through the project phase. From project inception with direct job creation during the construction and

operation of the infrastructure and indirect job and further wealth creation opportunities, through extensive State

Information Technology Agency $($SITA$)$ accredited skills training and enterprise development.

In $2021,$ Knowledge Pele Industries $($KPI$)$ developed the Touwsrivier Commercial Hydroponics Farm $($TCHF$),$ intending

to create sustainable employment in the community of Touwsrivier. Hydroponic farming involves the growing of plants

without soil as a medium while delivering water, nutrients, and oxygen. The plants are grown in various mediums like

sand, gravel, rock wool, coconut fiber and oasis cubes. It is considered an increasingly sustainable way of growing

produces with water.

The development of TCHF was possible through a R$5-$million grant fund provided by Investec Bank. Touwsrivier is the

host community of the $36$MW Renewable Independent Power Producer Programme $($REIPPP$)$ solar power plant. The

project life cycle of solar projects does not allow a large number of long$-$term jobs post construction phase. The need

addressed by TCHF in Touwsrivier, allows for considerable job creation and community ownership, using the vehicle of

the Touwsrivier Solar Community Trust $($TSCT$),$ in which $50\%$ equity is held by the community. Thus, providing an

impactful social return on investment for the community coupled with financial income that seeks to uplift households.

The farm initially employed $19$ people from the community of Touwsrivier, in which $12$ were permanently employed. For

the first year, the farm workers under $35$ were paid by Investec$$s Youth Employment Service $($YES$)$ programme.

TCHF has the capacity to produce $4000$ heads of lettuce a week. The farm currently focuses mainly on growing seven

types of lettuce: Ice Robinson, Ice Green Moon, Ofelia, Arletti, Fristina, Emma, Bacchus and Grenadine lettuce. TCHF

sells its produce locally, in Touwsrivier, and to large wholesalers in Cape Town. In addition, TCHF recently secured an

off$-$take agreement with a Cape Town$-$based wholesaler that provides fresh quality food products to local and international

customers. A significant feat in such early operation for the farm.

TCHF is Local General Agricultural Practices $($GAP$)$ certified, which means that the certification body $($NSF Certification$)$

declares that the lettuce grown at TCHF$,$ is compliant with control points and food production criteria.

TCHF is designed to scale on a modular basis. It currently has four tunnels; one nursery tunnel with the capacity of $13$

$500$ lettuce heads and three mature stage tunnels which hold $4000$ heads each. There is ongoing effort to raise funding

for the expansion of TCHF and further expand the range of crops grown.

QUESTION $1(20$ Marks$)$

Analyse how the project human resource management process applies to the Touwsrivier Commercial Hydroponics Farm

$($TCHF$)$ project.