Empowerment

Gelukwaarts School near Van Stadensrus in the Free State was launched by commercial farmers in the late 1990s to serve their workers’ children. Sunet Wessels spoke to Mike Burgess about the vibrant school that today educates 292 pupils on the farm Longlead.

Government’s move to establish agri parks as a way to transform rural communities has sparked much debate. amaVeg in Komatipoort has successfully broken into the local and export markets and is proof that the agri parks concept can work.

It’s been four years since the Department of Trade and Industry launched an initiative to increase capacity and competitiveness in South Africa’s textile and apparel industries. CEO of Cotton SA Hennie Bruwer spoke to Robyn Joubert about the programme’s achievements so far.

Gugulethu Zondi, the Agricultural Research Council’s 2016 National Emerging Beef Farmer of the Year, says that farming should be treated like any other business, and that beef farmers should choose their breeds based on performance rather than preference.

While many land reform projects across the country have failed, Siyazama Klipland Boerdery, a BEE company in De Doorns, is testimony to how projects can succeed with the right attitude. Shareholder and managing director, Alec Abrahams, spoke to Jeandré van der Walt.

As a member and former president of Milk SA, Tsitsikamma dairy farmer Nigel Lok explains that 25% of the statutory levy commercial dairy farmers pay to Milk SA goes to transformation.

Grain SA’s 2017 New Era Farmer of the Year, Thulo Mahlatsi, ascribes his success to hard work, careful planning, financial accountability and sound mentoring.

While farmers in the Western Cape’s Witzenberg district initially started Witzenberg PALS to boost black farm ownership in the region, the company is now also involved in transformation in other parts of the value chain. Company CEO, Lennox Plaatjies, spoke to Glenneis Kriel.

Berene Damons, the department of agriculture’s 2017 Female Entrepreneur of the Year in the agro-processing category, started work at the Hamilton Russell Vineyards 17 years ago. Promoted almost immediately to a marketing assistant, she soon developed an interest in winemaking, and went on to produce an award-winning, export-quality Pinot Noir wine, Tesselaarsdal.

Former extension officer, Sithembele Malgas, started farming in the Idutywa area of the former Transkei in 1990. Today, he produces cabbages, spinach and butternut in rotation on 3,5ha under irrigation and farms more than 500 beef cows near Cathcart in the Eastern Cape.

With its high start-up costs and complex export rules, the subtropical fruit industry presents formidable barriers to new entrants. Alita van der Walt spoke to ZZ2’s Tommie and BJ van Zyl about the models that the company is putting in place to assist developing farmers to become successful subtropical producers.

It takes a fine balancing act for Grain SA chairperson, Jaco Minnaar, to serve the interests of members while still leaving enough time to pursue his true passion – being a farmer. Sabrina Dean visited him recently on his family farm near Hennenman in the Free State.