maak – waaronder grondplafonne, die 50/50-eienaar-
skapkonsep en die voorgestelde Wet op Ruimtelike
Beplanning en Grondgebruikbestuur – is daarop
gemik om produksie op plaasvlak te beheer.
Die regering se intensie om ‘n beheergreep op die
vryemark te kry, skemer dikwels deur in voorgestelde
wetgewing. Sou dit deurgevoer word, beteken dit
produsente moet by die landboudepartement regis-
treer watter gewasse en hoeveel geplant word en by
die minister toestemming kry as jy iets anders daar wil
produseer. Klimaats- of markgedrewe aanpassings in ‘n
wisselbouprogram sal dus gedoen kan word, mits die
minister dit goedkeur.
Op die keper beskou, voorspel dit ‘n boerdery-omgewing
waarbinne die staat die laaste sê het oor hoe jy as produ-
sent moet boer, wie jou vennoot moet wees én hoeveel
grond jy mag besit. Aanduidings is dat die staat nie meer
gemaklik met die vryemark is nie. Politici kom al nader
aan die vuur en dit voorspel dat die ruimte waarbinne
ons beweeg, kleiner gaan raak.
Politieke aanstellings deur die Minister van Landbou,
Bosbou en Visserye op die direksies van die graantrusts
sal uiteindelik lei tot herevaluering van die trusts se
befondsingsprioriteite.
Politici versus burokrasie
Hoewel Graan SA se verhouding met politici oor die
afgelope tyd nie veel verbeter het nie, het samewerking
met die amptenary verbeter en toegeneem omdat
Graan SA kan aflewer. Ongeag die politieke winde en
onderstrominge is genoeg, bekostigbare voedsel steeds
‘n gesogte kommoditeit. Voedselsekerheid bly sentraal
– en het selfs meer belangrik geraak weens die droogte
en klimaatsverandering.
Agri SA se nuwe visie, “Unity about agriculture”, is ‘n
uitstekende invalshoek, want ons almal in Suid-Afrika moet
dieselfde emosie oor landbou hê. Die regering kan nie
anders as om kennis te neem van die samelewing se emosie
oor die droogte nie. Voedselaktiviste skep by verbruikers
‘n groter bewustheid oor die oorsprong en veiligheid van
voedsel en dit bevorder empatie vir landbou se saak.
Die Departement van Wetenskap en Tegnologie het
begin om Graan SA as navorsingsbefondsingsvennoot
te ondersteun vir sojaboon- en koringnavorsing. Goeie
verhoudinge met regeringsamptenary lewer hierdie tipe
samewerking op.
Voedselpryse
Huidige klimaatstoestande het voedselprysstygings in
die hand gewerk. Weens die droogte het die prys van
mielies al verdubbel en gevolglik het mieliemeelpryse ook
aansienlik gestyg. Die sogenaamde mieliepap-ekonomie
veroorsaak dat verbruikers ‘n vinniger en groter weerstand
teen prysstygings ontwikkel. Gaan daar ‘n verandering in
verbruikspatrone ontstaan – en hoe gaan verbruikers op
prysstygings reageer
?
Markposisionering
In die nuwe era sal Suid-Afrika se posisionering in die
internasionale graanmark bepaal moet word. Die vraag is
of graaninvoere net ‘n tydelike verskynsel is; of is die land
op pad daarheen is om ‘n netto invoerder van voedsel te
raak en is ons gerat is om deurlopend in te voer
?
Graan SA
is van mening dat Suid-Afrika sy status as netto uitvoerder
moet behou. Dit moet inderwaarheid uitgebrei word tot die
uitvoer van verwerkte voedsel – anders as die mynbou wat
grotendeels grondstowwe uitvoer.
Gegewe die uitwerking van die nuwe klimaat wat
hierbo gelys is, beplan Graan SA om soos volg op die
klimaatsverandering te reageer:
1. Bevestig opnuut waarvoor Graan SA staan, wat
produsente se behoeftes is en hoe ons rigtinggewend
kan wees om volboubaarheid in die hand te werk en om
die pas aan te gee met die klein treë van verandering.
2. Produsente gaan minder vryheid hê weens die
intervensie van die staat. Graan SA sal produsente
ondersteun om hulself ten beste in die nuwe klimaat te
posisioneer.
3. Privaat eiendomsreg is gelyk aan voedselsekerheid.
Die organisasie sal privaat eiendomsreg beskerm en
bevorder, want sonder grond kan produsente nie lenings
bekom om te kan produseer nie.
4. Navorsing moet sterker op klimaatsverandering
toegespits wees.
5. Datawetenskap moet gedefinieer en geïmplementeer
word in die nuwe klimaat.
6. Graan SA se Landbouontwikkelingprogram gaan ‘n ander
dimensie aanneem waarbinne toegang tot produksie-
finansiering vir nuwe produsente uiters noodsaaklik is.
7. Die organisasie het self ook ‘n verantwoordelikheid om in
elke opsig in pas te bly met die klimaat wat voortdurend
gaan verander.
2015 IN PERSPEKTIEF
Wat nasionale beleid betref, was die jaar onder oorsig
teen alle verwagtinge in ‘n relatiewe stil jaar. Hoewel
ons die jaar ingegaan het met die verwagting dat dit ‘n
waterskeidingsjaar vir grondhervorming sou wees, is beperkte
vordering hiermee gemaak. Graan SA het aktief deelgeneem
aan werksgroepe, maar geen uitkomste is bereik nie. Ons het
wel ‘n rol gespeel om die proses in stand te hou.
Erge druk is ervaar met politieke uitsprake oor grondplafonne,
die 50/50-grondhervormingsbasis en die voorgestelde Wet
op Ruimtelike Beplanning en Grondgebruikbestuur. Die
grondwetlikheid en volhoubaarheid van die staat se grond-
hervormingsinisiatiewe sal egter nog getoets moet word.
Die Landbouontwikkelingsprogram kon met behulp van die
Nasionale Tesourie se nuutgeskepte fonds vir die bevordering
van werkskepping, oftewel die Jobs Fund, ‘n projek van
stapel stuur waarvolgens 1 577 kleinskaalse boere toegang tot
insette en meganisasie verkry het om 1 802 ha te bewerk. Die
uitdaging is steeds om die sowat 1 100 middelklas produsente
deur opleiding en mentorskap te ondersteun om eindelik
minstens 250 ton per jaar elk te produseer.
Intussen is nuwe vennootskappe met die regering oor
navorsing en landbouontwikkeling gesluit. Die Landbouont-
wikkelingafdeling se databasis en projekte is geïnkorporeer
by die Departement van Landbou, Bosbou en Visserye se
beleidsaksieplan vir landbou.
Finansies
Die doeltreffende bestuur van fondse, personeelkoste
en ander kostebesparings het gesorg dat Graan SA die
finansiële jaar tot 30 September 2015 teen ‘n wins afgesluit
het. ‘n Eenmalige inkomste met die verkoop van die gebou
Review and strategic objectives (continued)
terugblik en strategiese oogmerke (vervolg)
Planning and Land Use Management Act – are aimed
at controlling production at farm level.
Proposed legislation often lets a glimmer of the govern-
ment's intention of gaining a controlling grip on the free
market shine through. If this were to be implemented, it
would mean that producers would have to register the
type of crop and quantities planted with the Department
of Agriculture, and would have to obtain permission from
the minister if they want to produce something else there.
Climate or market-driven adjustments in a crop rotation
programme will therefore be allowed only if the minister
approves them.
All things considered, this will mean a farming environment
in which the state has the final say about how you as
producer must farm, who your partner must be and how
much land you may own. Indications are that the state
is no longer at ease with the free market. Politicians are
drawing ever closer to the fire and this means that the
space in which we operate will become smaller.
Political appointments by the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry
and Fisheries on the boards of the grain trusts will eventually
lead to the re-evaluation of the funding priorities of the
trusts.
Politicians versus bureaucracy
Although Grain SA’s relationship with politicians has not
grown much recently, cooperation with the officials has
improved and increased because Grain SA can deliver.
Despite the political winds and undercurrents, enough
affordable food is still a sought-after commodity. Food
security remains central – and has become even more
important because of the drought and climate change.
Agri SA’s new vision, Unity about agriculture, is an
excellent approach, because all South Africans
must have the same emotions about agriculture. The
government cannot but take cognisance of society’s
emotions about the drought. Food activists create a
greater awareness among consumers about the origin
and safety of food and this promotes empathy for
agriculture’s cause.
The Department of Science and Technology has started
supporting Grain SA as research funding partner for
soybean and wheat research. Good relations with
government officials produce such cooperation.
Food prices
Current climatic conditions have promoted increases in
food prices. Because of the drought the price of maize
has already doubled and consequently the price of maize
meal experienced a sharp increase. The so-called maize
porridge economy causes consumers to develop a quicker
and bigger resistance to price increases. Will a change in
consumption patterns develop – and how will consumers
react to price increases
?
Market positioning
South Africa’s positioning in the international grain market
will have to be determined in the new era. The question
remains whether grain imports are only a temporary
phenomenon, or whether the country is set on becoming
a net importer of food, and whether we are geared for
importing on an ongoing basis. Grain SA is of the opinion
that South Africa must retain its status as net exporter. In
fact, it should be expanded to export processed food
– unlike mining, which largely exports raw materials.
Given the effect of the new climate indicated above,
Grain SA plans on reacting to the climate changes as
follows:
1. Confirm afresh what Grain SA stands for, what
producers’ needs are and how we can take the
lead in promoting sustainability and setting the
pace with the small steps of change.
2. Producers will have less freedom because of interven-
tion by the state. Grain SA will support producers in best
positioning themselves in the new climate.
3. Private ownership is equal to food security. The
organisation will protect and promote private
ownership, because without land, producers cannot
obtain production loans.
4. Research should focus more strongly on climate
change.
5. Data science should be defined and implemented in
the new climate.
6. Grain SA’s farmer development programme will take on
a different dimension in which production financing is
essential for new producers.
7. The organisation itself also has a responsibility to remain
in step in all respects with the climate, which will change
continuously.
2015 IN PERSPECTIVE
As far as national policy is concerned, the year
under review was a relatively quiet one – contrary
to all expectations. Although we entered the year
with the expectation that it would be a watershed
year for land reform, limited progress was made in this
regard. Grain SA participated actively in working groups,
but no outcomes were achieved. We did play a role in
maintaining the process.
Severe pressure was experienced as a result of political
statements on land ceilings, the 50/50 land reform basis and
the proposed Spatial Planning and Land Use Management
Act. However, the constitutionality and sustainability of the
state’s land reform initiatives still have to be tested.
With the aid of the National Treasury’s newly created
fund for promoting job creation, the Jobs Fund, the
farmer development programme managed to launch a
programme in terms of which 1 577 smallholder farmers
gained access to inputs and mechanisation to cultivate
1 802 hectares. The challenge remains to support some
1 100 middle-class producers through training and mentor-
ship to each eventually produce at least 250 tons per year.
In the meantime, new partnerships have been concluded
with the government with respect to research and farmer
development. The database and projects of the Farmer
Development division were incorporated with the policy
action plan for agriculture of the Department of Agriculture,
Forestry and Fisheries.
Finance
The effective management of funds, personnel costs
and other cost savings ensured that Grain SA ended the
financial year to 30 September 2015 with a profit. A once-
off income with the sale of the building in Bothaville was
realised in the financial year. Because of tight conditions in
Review and strategic objectives
terugblik en strategiese oogmerke
6
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