The Southern Africa Agri Initiative (Saai), a network of family farmers and people with an interest in farming that look after family farmers, on 11 September 2019 presented a farmer’s day at The Hub in Tzaneen. Intense discussions were held with communal farmers, small-scale and settlement farmers, commercial farmers and beneficiaries of land reform regarding their needs, aspirations, frustrations and challenges.
Black family farmers are struggling to farm profitable and sustainable and require serious adjustments to the policy environment to be successful.
“Few black farmers get access to financing because they often don’t own the land on which they farm. The state was last week forced to sell the farm in Limpopo on which David Rakgase has already been farming for 27 years, to Rakgase. Without the broadening of property rights, investments in agriculture will cease to grow, and black farmers made it clear at the farmer’s day that they want title deeds,” says Dr Theo de Jager, Chairperson of the Board that contributed to the facilitation of the day on behalf of Saai.
The poor research to determine the validity of land claims, infighting among the communal property associations (CPA’s) and poor management of state land are setbacks on the road to success.
Farmers that attended the day believe that a special financing mechanism, similar to the old agricultural credit board, will help a great deal in improving the bankability of new entrants.
AFRIKAANS
Boere bespreek behoeftes en uitdagings tydens Re Gola Mmogo-boeredag
Die Suider-Afrika Agri-inisiatief (Saai), ’n netwerk van familieboere en boerderybelanghebbendes wat na familieboere omsien, het op 11 September 2019 ’n boeredag by The Hub in Tzaneen aangebied. Daar is intens met kommunale boere, kleinskaal- en nedersettingboere, kommersiële boere en begunstigdes van grondhervorming gepraat oor hul behoeftes, aspirasies, frustrasies en uitdagings.
Swart gesinsboere sukkel om winsgewend en volhoubaar te boer en het ernstige verstellings aan die beleidsomgewing nodig om vooruit te kan boer.
“Min swart boere kry toegang tot finansiering omdat hulle dikwels nie die grond waarop hulle boer besit nie. Die staat is verlede week gedwing om die plaas in Limpopo waarop David Rakgase reeds 27 jaar boer, aan hom te verkoop. Sonder die verbreding van eiendomsreg sal beleggings in landbou nie groei nie, en swart boere het by die boeredag dit duidelik gestel dat hulle titelaktes wil hê,” sê dr. Theo de Jager, direksievoorsitter wat namens Saai bygedra het tot die fasilitering van dié dag.
Die gebrekkige navorsing om die geldigheid van grondeise te bepaal, binnegevegte onder die kommunale eiendomsverenigings (CPA’s) en swak bestuur van staatsgrond is klippe in die pad na sukses.
Boere wat die dag bygewoon het glo dat ’n spesiale finansieringsmeganisme, soortgelyk aan die ou landboukredietraad, ver kan gaan om die bankbaarheid van nuwe toetreders te verbeter.
