Emergent farmers must be supported

For the second time in a row, the agricultural sector has been integral to our country’s GDP growth, contributing 2% in the third quarter.

This is a clear demonstration of the tremendous capacity of this sector.

With the proper support, emergent growers, who are raring to contribute to agricultural output, could share equitably in these victories.

To achieve this much-needed growth we need constructive and ongoing collaboration between government and the relevant industry associations.

Historical and socioeconomic factors have led to many in charge of new black-owned farms struggling to survive. They operate in a competitive sector, and a lack of suitable skills places them at a disadvantage.

They need technical advice, mentorship, training and experiential learning for a better chance at success — not to mention business skills, market access know-how and focused enterprise development.

With the agricultural sector having had its fair share of transformation failures, strong partnerships with govern- ment are critical.

The citrus industry generates 94% of its income from exports. Therefore we, the Citrus Growers Association Grower Development Company, work closely with the national and provincial departments of agriculture, forestry & fisheries to provide holistic support for all our citrus growers. We do this especially by instilling business, export and agriprocessing acumen. Once farmers grasp the mechanics of the international market and citrus exports, they’re able to tackle the rest of the domestic and international value chain confidently.

We continue to work with government and state-owned enterprises to together craft and implement plans to achieve the inclusive participation in growth and in the value chain that the sector so desperately needs.

SA’S emergent growers have much to offer. But to ensure their value is maximised and sustained, we need to make sure that they stay motivated and committed. Government’s role remains critical in building these partnerships with farmers and established industry stakeholders who share this vision.

GM: CGA Grower Development Company, Pretoria Inside Steinhoff’s house of cards