Farmer Development division/Afdeling Ontwikkelende Landbou

Grain SA Farmer Development Programme

Grain SA's Farmer Development Programme has been running for more than ten years. The major focus of the programme is on the development of skills and knowledge for the establishment of successful, profitable and sustainable grain farmers. Currently the programme offers its services to farmers from ten different offices in the grain and cereal producing areas of South Africa. The mission of the programme is ‘To develop capacitated commercial black grain farmers and to contribute towards household and national food security through the optimal use of the natural resources available to each farmer’. 

In order to contextualise the meaning of transformation and development, the following definitions are believed to be appropriate within this context:

Transformation  –  ‘change for the better’
Development  –  ‘advancement through progressive stages’

In relation to the definition above, Grain SA is striving towards transformation and development in terms of:

• Sustainable land use.
• Optimal use of currently unproductive land.
•  Increased financial returns to farmers on the land they have available, through:
  • Increased yields.
  • Reduced production costs.
  • Improved tillage practices.
  • Commercial marketing of the crops.
  • Use of modern technology.
  • Crop rotations.
• Financial independence of the farmer.
• Improved own mechanisation for farmers at all levels (reduced reliance on contracting).
• Improved knowledge and skills relating to production practices, land use, mechanisation, management, marketing, business acumen, total resource utilisation.
• Sector transformation (more black farmers in the agricultural sector, and improved representation of black farmers on industry bodies).
• Improved access to production credit for black farmers.
• Affordable and accessible multi risk insurance for farmers.
• Individual empowerment of each farmer (individual accountability and responsibility).
• Improved image of agriculture (particularly with the youth).

Graan SA Ontwikkelende Landbouprogram

Graan SA se Ontwikkelende Landbouprogram is reeds meer as tien jaar aan die gang. Die hooffokus van die program is op die ontwikkeling van vaardighede en kennis vir die daarstelling van suksesvolle, winsgewende en volhoubare graanprodusente. Die program bied tans sy dienste aan verskeie boere vanuit tien verskillende kantore in die graanproduserende gebiede van Suid-Afrika. Die missie van die program is “Om swart kommersiële produsente met kapasiteit te ontwikkel en tot huishoudelike en nasionale voedselsekerheid by te dra deur die optimale gebruik van die natuurlike hulpbronne wat tot elke boer se beskikking is”.

Ten einde die betekenis van transformasie en ontwikkeling te kontekstualiseer, word die volgende definisies in hierdie konteks as toepaslik beskou:

Transformasie – “verander ten goede”
Ontwikkeling – “vordering deur progressiewe stadiums”

In ooreenstemming met die definisie hierbo streef Graan SA na transformasie en ontwikkeling ten opsigte van:

• Volhoubare grondgebruik.
• Optimale gebruik van tans onproduktiewe grond.
•  Verhoogde finansiële opbrengste aan boere op die grond wat hulle beskikbaar het, deur:
  • Toenemende opbrengs.
  • Verlaagde produksiekoste.
  • Verbeterde bewerkingspraktyke.
  • Kommersiële bemarking van gewasse.
  • Gebruik van moderne tegnologie.
  • Wisselbou.
• Finansiële onafhanklikheid van die boer.
• Verbeterde eie meganisering vir boere op alle vlakke (minder vertroue op kontraktering).
• Beter kennis en vaardighede ten opsigte van produksiepraktyke, grondgebruik, meganisering, bestuur, bemarking, sakevernuf, totale hulpbronbenutting.
• Sektortransformasie (meer swart boere in die landbousektor, en beter verteenwoordiging van swart boere op bedryfsliggame).
• Beter toegang tot produksiekrediet vir swart boere.
• Bekostigbare en toeganklike multirisikoversekering vir boere.
• Individuele bemagtiging van elke boer (individuele aanspreeklikheid en verantwoordelikheid).
• Verbeterde beeld van landbou (veral onder die jeug).

FARMER DEVELOPMENT DIVISION

Grain SA has been involved in farmer development since its inception in 1999 and the relevance of this programme has increased over the years. As a result of the political and historical past, commercial agriculture rested in the hands of whites. Since 1994 with the dawn of true democracy in South Africa, there has been a lot of land restitution and redistribution, while at the same time, farmers in the old ‘homeland’ areas have access to very large tracts of land which is not being used optimally (for various reasons that will be discussed later in this document).

Background

Farmers use land to produce food and fibre and through this secure household and national food security. As a developing country, South Africa needs to have a vibrant rural economy. We have all seen the effects of people moving to the cities with the hope of a ‘better life’. Regrettably many have been disappointed by the fact that the cities cannot really accommodate them adequately and there are only few employment opportunities available. By assisting farmers to use the land they have available (however small), we are able to ignite the rural economy and set the base for other developments. Our agricultural sector needs to be transformed so that we can have a united voice representing the sector and addressing the common needs and challenges. As a country we need to have food sovereignty – we cannot afford to be reliant on imports of basic foods. The unemployment rates in our country are very high and although the grain sector is not very labour intensive, there are many employment opportunities which are created in the rural areas as a result of primary agricultural activities.

Existing programme

Over the past number of years we have been very fortunate to receive funding from the Maize Trust, Winter Cereal Trust, Oil and Protein Seeds Development Trust (OPDT), the Sorghum Trust, the AgriSETA, the ARC, the Departments of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform (for the recapitalisation of farmers). A special thanks to the Maize Trust as their continued funding of this programme has been the foundation upon which the other activities and programme are built.

In an attempt to service all developing farmers in the grain, oil and protein seeds and cereal producing areas, we have opened offices in Lichtenburg and Taung in the North West, Ladybrand in the Free State, Nelspruit in Mpumalanga, Louwsburg and Dundee in KwaZulu-Natal which also service parts of Mpumalanga, Kokstad, Maclear and Mthatha in the Eastern Cape, and Paarl in the Western Cape (ten offices in total as well as Bloemfontein from whence this programme is managed). These offices have all been strategically placed to service a wide area where grains can be produced profitably and where developing farmers have access to land. 

Focus of the programme

The mission of our programme is ‘To develop capacitated sustainable grain farmers, and to contribute to household and national food security through the optimal use of the land available to each farmer’. Farmers in this programme fall under all forms of land tenure – communal land which is managed by the tribal authority while owned by the government, commonage land which is owned and managed by the local municipalities, restitution farmers, farmers who have been the recipients of land redistribution, own private land, as well as leased private land. The land redistribution programme includes the Settlement Land Acquisition Grant (SLAG) which was groups of families on land; the Land Redistribution for Agricultural Development (LRAD), and the Proactive Land Acquisition Scheme (PLAS). The first two programmes transferred the ownership of the land to the beneficiaries while in the last scheme, the land is owned by the state and hired to the beneficiaries.

The study of human development has become a focus area over past decades and through various interventions in many countries, it has become evident that the most important factor that leads to sustainable development is the development of the capacities of the individual who has to take responsibility for his / her own destiny. Over the years attempts have been made to encourage development through the investment in infrastructure, production inputs, mechanisation and machines, and giving grants and it has been realised over the years that the single most important factor in successful growth, development and transformation is the human element. It is a result of all these studies that we developed our beliefs:

• Farmers should be empowered to farm for themselves (not farmed for by contractors).
• Where at all possible, farmers should own their own equipment and not rely on the activities of other service providers.
• Farmers with farms of all sizes can be assisted to use the land that is available to them using the most modern methods of crop production.
• The measure of success is the sustainable production of profitable crops on every hectare (and not the total number of hectares planted, or the total number of tons harvested).

Activities in the programme

In order to achieve the human development mentioned, through this programme a number of different projects has been developed, each contributing a unique aspect of the skills transfer.

Study groups

The study groups are always the first point of entry into a new area. Through the study groups, the development co-ordinators have access to the farmers on a regular basis and they are able to lecture the farmers on all aspects of production, marketing and management. The study groups also form the contact points for the planting of demonstration trials, hosting of farmer’s days, identification of the candidates for the farmer of the year, identification of farmers for the advanced farmer programme and recapitalisation, notification of farmers about training courses etc. It has been interesting to see that over the years, as the farmers become more advanced, they express the need for more advanced information while at the same time, the progressive farmers assist the less advanced farmers to progress. Servicing farmers in a group is more cost effective than servicing on an individual basis, and they learn more from the questions of the other farmers.

Afdeling ontwikkelende landbou

Graan SA is sedert sy ontstaan in 1999 by ontwikkelende landbou betrokke en die belangrikheid van hierdie program het deur die jare toegeneem. As gevolg van Suid-Afrika se politieke en historiese verlede was kommersiële landbou in die hande van wit mense. Sedert 1994, met die koms van ware demokrasie na Suid-Afrika, was daar heelwat grondrestitusie en herverdeling, terwyl boere in die voormalige “tuisland”-gebiede terselfdertyd toegang het tot baie groot stukke grond wat nie optimaal gebruik word nie (om verskeie redes wat later in hierdie dokument bespreek sal word).

Agtergrond

Boere gebruik grond om voedsel en vesel te produseer en sodoende huishoudelike en nasionale voedselsekerheid te verseker. As ’n ontwikkelende land moet Suid-Afrika ’n lewendige landelike ekonomie hê. Ons het almal al die effek gesien van mense wat stede toe trek met die hoop op ’n “beter lewe”. Ongelukkig is talle teleurgestel deur die feit dat die stede hulle nie werklik voldoende kan akkommodeer nie, en daar is slegs ’n paar werksgeleenthede beskikbaar. Deur boere te help om die grond te gebruik wat tot hulle beskikking is (hoe klein ook al), kan ons die landelike ekonomie ’n hupstoot gee en die grondslag vir ander ontwikkelings lê. Ons landbousektor moet getransformeer word sodat ons ’n verenigde stem kan hê wat die sektor verteenwoordig en die gemeenskaplike behoeftes en uitdagings hanteer. As ’n land moet ons voedselsekerheid hê – ons kan nie op die invoer van basiese voedselsoorte staatmaak nie. Die werkloosheidskoerse in ons land is baie hoog en hoewel die graansektor nie baie arbeidsintensief is nie, is daar talle werksgeleenthede wat as gevolg van primêre landbou-aktiwiteite in die landelike gebiede geskep word.

BESTAANDE PROGRAM

Ontwikkelende Landbou was die afgelope paar jaar bevoorreg om befondsing van die Mielietrust, Wintergraantrust, Olie- en Proteïensade-ontwikkelingstrust (OPOT), die Sorghumtrust, die AgriSETA, die LNR, die Departement van Landbou, Bosbou en Visserye, en die Departement van Landelike Ontwikkeling en Landbouhervorming (vir die herkapitalisering van boere) te ontvang. Die Mielietrust verdien spesiale vermelding aangesien hulle voortgesette befondsing van hierdie program die grondslag is waarop die ander aktiwiteite en die program gebou is.

In ’n poging om alle ontwikkelende boere in die graan-, olie- en proteïensaadproduserende gebiede te diens, het ons kantore geopen in Lichtenburg en Taung in Noordwes, Ladybrand in die Vrystaat, Nelspruit in Mpumalanga, Louwsburg en Dundee in KwaZulu-Natal (wat ook dele van Mpumalanga diens) Kokstad, Maclear en Mthatha in die Oos-Kaap en die Paarl in die Wes-Kaap (tien kantore in totaal, asook Bloemfontein, vanwaar hierdie program bestuur word). Hierdie kantore is almal strategies geplaas om ’n wye gebied te diens waar graan winsgewend geproduseer kan word, en waar ontwikkelende boere toegang tot grond het. 

FOKUS van die PROGRAM

Die missie van die program is “Om volhoubare graanboere met kapasiteit te ontwikkel en tot huishoudelike en nasionale voedselsekerheid by te dra deur die optimale gebruik van die grond wat tot elke boer se beskikking is”. Boere in hierdie program val onder alle vorms van grondbesitreg – kommunale grond wat deur die stamowerheid bestuur word terwyl die regering dit besit, dorpsgrond wat deur die plaaslike munisipaliteite besit en bestuur word, herverdelingsboere, boere wat grond met herverdeling ontvang het, eie privaat grond, sowel as gehuurde privaat grond. Die grondherverdelingsprogram sluit die Vestigingsgrondverkrygingstoekenning (SLAG), waar groepe of gesinne op grond gevestig is, die Grondherverdeling vir Landbou-ontwikkeling (LRAD), en die Proaktiewe Grondverkrygingskema (PLAS) in. In die eerste twee gevalle besit die boere die grond, terwyl die staat in die laaste skema die grond besit en aan die begunstigdes verhuur.

Die studie van menslike ontwikkeling het die afgelope paar dekades ’n fokuspunt geword, en deur verskillende intervensies in talle lande het dit duidelik geword dat die belangrikste faktor wat tot volhoubare ontwikkeling lei, die ontwikkeling is van die vermoëns van die individu wat vir hulle eie lotsbestemming verantwoordelikheid moet neem. Oor die jare heen is pogings aangewend om ontwikkeling aan te moedig deur infrastruktuur, produksie-insette, meganisering en masjiene te belê en toelaes te gee, en daar is oor die jare heen besef dat die enkele belangrikste faktor in suksesvolle groei, ontwikkeling en transformasie die menslike element is. Dit is as gevolg van al hierdie studies dat ons ons oortuigings ontwikkel het:

• Boere moet bemagtig word om self te boer (kontrakteurs moenie namens hulle boer nie).
• Waar hoegenaamd moontlik, moet boere hulle eie toerusting besit en nie op die aktiwiteite van ander diensverskaffers staatmaak nie.
• Boere met plase van alle groottes kan bygestaan word om die grond te gebruik wat tot hulle beskikking is deur die modernste metodes van gewasproduksie te gebruik.
• Die maatstaf van sukses is die volhoubare produksie van winsgewende gewasse op elke hektaar (en nie die totale getal hektaar aangeplant of die totale getal ton geoes nie).

Aktiwiteite IN DIE PROGRAM

Ten einde die genoemde menslike ontwikkeling te verseker, is ’n aantal verskillende projekte deur middel van hierdie program ontwikkel, en elkeen dra ’n eiesoortige aspek van die vaardigheidsoordrag by.

Studiegroepe

Die studiegroepe is altyd die eerste toetreepunt tot ’n nuwe gebied. Deur die studiegroepe het die ontwikkelingskoördineerders op ’n gereelde grondslag toegang tot die boere en kan hulle voorligting oor alle aspekte van produksie, bemarking en bestuur aan die boere gee. Die studiegroepe vorm ook die kontakpunte vir die aanplant van demonstrasieproefnemings, die aanbied van boeredae, die identifisering van die kandidate vir boer van die jaar, die identifisering van boere vir die gevorderde boerprogram en herkapitalisering, kommunikasie met boere oor opleidingskursusse, ensovoorts. Dit was interessant om te sien dat, namate die boere oor die jare heen meer gevorderd raak, hulle die behoefte uitspreek vir meer gevorderde inligting, terwyl die progressiewe boere die minder gevorderde boere gehelp het. Dit is meer kostedoeltreffend om boere in ’n groep as op ’n individuele grondslag te diens, en hulle leer meer uit die vrae van ander boere.

Demonstration trials and Farmers Days

In the less commercialised areas, it is necessary to have the demonstration trials so that the developing farmers are able to see the results of good production practices – correct soil preparation, correct application of lime (if applicable), correct fertilisation (resulting from the soil sampling), correct plant population and cultivar selection, proper weed and pest control etc. The farmers are able to experience the practices and then do the same on their own land. The personnel in the programme will co-ordinate the establishment of these trials with other role-players in the industry – the contractor, the seed companies, the fertiliser companies and the agro-chemical companies so that the farmers are exposed to the best possible production information and techniques. 

The purpose of the development programme is to empower farmers to continue profitably and sustainably. It is envisaged that they will eventually be supported and guided by the commercial sector representatives from the input supply companies. The exposure of the farmers to the representatives of the input supply companies for the development of relationships is one of the purposes of the farmers days.

DEMONSTRASIEPROEWE EN BOEREDAE

In die minder-gekommersialiseerde gebiede moet demonstrasieproefnemings gedoen word sodat ontwikkelende boere die resultate van goeie produksiepraktyke kan sien en ervaar – korrekte grondvoorbereiding, korrekte toediening van kalk (indien van toepassing), korrekte bemesting (op grond van grondmonsterneming), die korrekte plantpopulasie en kultivarseleksie, behoorlike onkruid- en plaagbeheer, ensovoorts – en dan dieselfde op hulle eie grond kan doen. Die personeel in die program koördineer die daarstelling van hierdie proefnemings met ander betrokkenes in die bedryf – die kontrakteur, die saadmaatskappye, die misstofmaatskappye en die landbouchemikalieë-maatskappye sodat die boere aan die beste moontlike produksie-inligting en -tegnieke blootgestel word. 

Die doel van die ontwikkelingsprogram is om boere te bemagtig om winsgewend en volhoubaar voort te gaan. Daar word in die vooruitsig gestel dat hulle uiteindelik deur verteenwoordigers van die insetverskaffingsmaatskappye ondersteun en gelei sal word. Die blootstelling van die boere aan die verteenwoordigers van die insetverskaffingsmaatskappye vir die ontwikkeling van verhoudings is een van die doelwitte van die boeredae.

Partnerships

There are many role-players in the grain industry and it is important that there be a good working relationship between all. The field of agricultural development is very wide and it is important to access information and support on all aspects – no one group can take ownership of the development process. Through this programme an attempt is made to involve all the various role-players in the agricultural industry in the development of farmers – there is a role to be played by each one in terms of their own speciality. Co-ordination is essential if there is to be constant and sustained progress. In the interests of long term sustainability, the farmers have to be assisted to get to know all the various role-players in their field of farming – they must have a network of support that will continue once they reach commercial status.

Good relationships are forged with personnel from the ARC, the Departments of Agriculture, the Department of Rural Development and Agrarian reform, the input supply companies for seed, fertiliser, chemicals, lime, diesel, insurance, finance and mechanisation, as well as provincial and local government. Each of these has a unique contribution to make to the process of sustainable development.

Levels of farmers and the Farmer of the Year Competition

There are farmers who are farming at all different levels in South Africa and this is mostly as a result of their land tenure arrangements. These farmers require services and different levels and it is not possible to compare their achievements when it comes to the farmer of the year competition.

Grain SA decided to divide the farmers into three different categories – the subsistence farmers have access to less than 10 ha of land; the smallholder farmers are those farming on 10 ha upwards, but who have not achieved the annual production of 250 tons of grains; and the final category is the new era commercial producers and these are the farmers who have produced more than 250 tons of grain in one year. In order to inspire and encourage farmers, we created a 250 Ton Club which has different membership – the bronze 250 ton member, the silver 500 ton member; the gold 500 ton member and the platinum 1 500 ton member.

Currently in the programme we have the following number of farmers in the different categories:

Vennootskappe

Daar is talle rolspelers in die graanbedryf en dit is belangrik dat daar goeie werksverhoudinge tussen almal moet wees. Die veld van ontwikkelende landbou is baie groot en dit is belangrik om toegang tot inligting en steun op alle gebiede te kry – geen enkele groep kan eienaarskap van die ontwikkelingsproses neem nie. Deur hierdie program word daar gepoog om al die onderskeie rolspelers in die landboubedryf by die ontwikkeling van boere te betrek – elkeen het ’n rol om ten opsigte van hulle eie spesialiteit te speel. Koördinering is noodsaaklik as daar konstante en volgehoue vordering moet wees. In die belang van langtermynvolhoubaarheid moet die boere gehelp word om al die verskillende rolspelers in hulle veld van boerdery te leer ken – hulle moet ’n ondersteuningsnetwerk hê wat sal voortduur wanneer hulle kommersiële status bereik het.

Goeie verhoudings word gesmee met personeel van die LNR, die Departement van Landbou, die Departement van Landelike Ontwikkeling en Grondhervorming, die insetverskaffingsmaatskappye vir saad, misstof, chemikalieë, kalk, diesel, versekering, finansiering en meganisering, asook provinsiale en plaaslike owerhede. Elkeen van hierdie rolspelers het ’n eiesoortige bydrae om tot die proses van volhoubare ontwikkeling te maak.

VLAKKE van boere EN DIE BOER van die JAAR-KOMPETISIE

Daar is boere wat op alle verskillende vlakke in Suid-Afrika boer, en dit is hoofsaaklik die gevolg van hulle grondbesitregooreenkomste. Hierdie boere benodig verskillende dienste op verskillende vlakke, en dit is nie moontlik om hulle prestasies te vergelyk wanneer dit by die Boer van die Jaar-kompetisie kom nie.

Graan SA het besluit om die boere in drie verskillende kategorieë te verdeel – die bestaansboere het toegang tot minder as 10 ha grond; die kleinboere is dié wat op 10 ha en meer boer, maar wat nog nie die jaarlikse produksie van 250 ton graan bereik het nie; en die laaste kategorie is die nuwe-era kommersiële boere, wat meer as 250 ton graan in een jaar produseer. Ten einde boere te inspireer en aan te moedig, het ons ’n 250 Ton Klub gestig wat verskillende vlakke van lidmaatskap het – die brons 250 ton-lid, die silwer 500 ton-lid, die goue 500 ton-lid en die platinum 1 500 ton-lid.

Tans het die program die volgende getalle boere in die verskillende kategorieë:

Each year we have a competition for farmers in all three categories and it is really heartening to see the progress of the farmers. Each year there are more farmers who wish to compete and it is becoming increasingly difficult to identify the winner as the standards are increasing constantly – it is no longer possible simply to judge them on the production practices and the good commercial practice is becoming the norm. The winners of the competition for this year were as follows:

Subsistence Farmer of the Year – Ngubengcuka Christian Moyo from the Eastern Cape

Smallholder Farmer of the Year – Daliwonga Nombewu from the Eastern Cape

New Era Commercial Producer of the Year – Solomon Masango from Mpumalanga

Training courses

Ons het elke jaar ’n kompetisie vir boere in al drie kategorieë en dit is werklik bemoedigend om die vordering van hierdie boere te sien. Daar is elke jaar meer boere wat wil deelneem, en dit word al hoe moeiliker om die wenner te identifiseer, aangesien standaarde voortdurend styg – dit is nie meer moontlik om dit bloot op grond van die produksiepraktyke te beoordeel nie, en goeie kommersiële praktyke word die norm. Die wenners van die kompetisie vir die jaar was:

Bestaansboer van die Jaar – Ngubengcuka Christian Moyo van die Oos-Kaap

Kleinskaalse boer van die Jaar – Daliwonga Nombewu van die Oos-Kaap

Nuwe-era Kommersiële Produsent van die Jaar – Solomon Masango van Mpumalanga

OPLEIDINGSKURSUSSE

Boerdery is ’n besigheid en dit verg grondige begrip van ’n groot aantal uiteenlopende onderwerpe – van die grond tot inkomstebelasting. Die afgelope jaar is 48 kursusse ontwikkel – elkeen gemik op 'n spesifieke behoefte. Die kursusse spreek behoeftes van beginner-, intermediêre en gevorderde studente aan wat ons deur ons interaksies met die boere op verskillende vlakke geïdentifiseer het.

Although not all the courses are available in all the languages, we send a trainer to the region who is proficient in the local language so as to be able to explain the course to the farmers correctly and understandably.

Hoewel nie al die kursusse in al die tale beskikbaar is nie, stuur ons ’n opleier na die streek wat vaardig is in die plaaslike taal sodat die kursus korrek en verstaanbaar aan die boere verduidelik kan word.

Die kursusse het ’n teoretiese en ’n praktiese deel. Gewoonlik word die teorie in die oggend hanteer en die praktiese deel in die middag. Ons probeer om die toerusting wat tot die boere se beskikking is vir die praktiese opleidingsessies te gebruik – dit bemagtig hulle nie indien hulle geleer word op toerusting waartoe hulle nie toegang het nie. Dit is ook goed om hulle te wys wat hulle kan doen met die toerusting wat hulle het. Ons het gedurende die jaar die volgende kursusse aangebied:

PULA IMVULA

The Pula Imvula is a monthly newsletter that is published in seven languages namely English, Afrikaans, Sesotho, Setswana, Sesotho sa Leboa, isiZulu and isiXhosa. The Pula Imvula is a project that has managed to achieve the type of cohesion from different funders that could be viewed as ideal. Each month, the Maize Trust funds eight pages; the Winter Cereal Trust funds an additional four pages for December, March, June and September, OPOT funds an additional four pages for October, January, April and July and in addition to this, there is an expanded English Pula which adds more advanced (complicated subjects) of another eight pages (this only in the English version).

The Pula is used as a vehicle to disseminate grain farming information to the readers at the appropriate time of year. All aspects of farming – from production, financing, mechanisation, pests and diseases, weeds, maintenance, marketing, storage, labour management, planning and budgeting are all covered. There are a large numbers of different people who contribute to the writing of the articles for the Pula.

Advanced farmers

There is still a gap between the more advanced developing farmers and the commercial farmers. All the developing farmers cannot be supported at the same basic level. Through the study groups, the farmers are supported with information and training to get them into production and to cultivate a basic understanding of the maize industry. However, there are farmers who are now beyond the type of support that they get through the study group structures. These farmers are already farming on a semi-commercial scale, but they are not in a position to be left entirely to their own devices in the commercial world. These are mostly the smallholder farmers (10 ha to 250 tons).

The purpose of this programme is to support the outstanding candidates who have emerged from the study group system. These farmers need one on one support in terms of production planning, management, support in terms of financial applications and reporting etc. When the farmer is producing in excess of 250 tons per year, and has met the ‘commercial standards’ of production, he/she will be handed over to the Commercial producers in that region to fast track the integration of the black farmers into the commercial sector.

PULA IMVULA

Pula Imvula is ’n maandelikse nuusbrief wat in sewe tale gepubliseer word, naamlik Engels, Afrikaans, Suid-Sotho, Tswana, Noord-Sotho, Zulu en Xhosa. Pula Imvula is ’n projek wat daarin geslaag is om die tipe samewerking van verskillende befondsers te verkry wat as ideaal beskou kan word: Elke maand befonds die Mielietrust agt bladsye, die Wintergraantrust ’n verdere vier bladsye vir Desember, Maart, Junie en September, Olie- en Proteïensadetrust (OPOT) befonds ’n verdere vier bladsye vir Oktober, Januarie, April en Julie en hierbenewens is daar ’n uitgebreide Engelse Pula met ’n addisionele agt bladsye waarin meer gevorderde (ingewikkelde) onderwerpe aangespreek word.

Die Pula word gebruik as medium om inligting oor graanboerdery op die toepaslike tyd van die jaar aan die lesers oor te dra. Alle aspekte van boerdery – van produksie, finansiering, meganisering, plae en siektes, onkruid, instandhouding, bemarking, stoor, arbeidsbestuur en beplanning tot begroting word gedek. Daar is groot aantal skrywers wat tot die saamstel van hierdie artikels vir die Pula bydra.

Gevorderde boere

Daar is steeds ’n gaping tussen die meer gevorderde ontwikkelende boere en die kommersiële produsente. Al die ontwikkelende boere kan nie op dieselfde basiese vlak ondersteun word nie. Deur die studiegroepe word die boere met inligting en opleiding gesteun om hulle in produksie te kry en ’n basiese begrip van die mieliebedryf te kweek. Daar is egter boere wat verder gevorder het as die soort ondersteuning wat hulle deur die studiegroepstrukture kry. Hierdie boere boer reeds op ’n semi-kommersiële skaal, maar is nie in ’n posisie om in die kommersiële wêreld aan hulle eie genade oorgelaat te word nie. Dit is hoofsaaklik kleinskaalse kleinboere (10 ha tot 250 ton).

Die doel van hierdie program is om die uitstaande kandidate in die studiegroepstelsel te ondersteun. Hierdie boere het een-tot-een-ondersteuning nodig ten opsigte van produksiebeplanning, bestuur, ondersteuning ten opsigte van finansiële aansoeke en verslagdoening, ensovoorts. Wanneer die boer meer as 250 ton per jaar produseer en aan die kommersiële produksiestandaarde voldoen, word hulle aan die kommersiële produsente in daardie streek oorhandig ten einde die integrasie van die swart boere by die kommersiële sektor te versnel.

The progress towards the New Era Commercial status has been slower than anticipated as these farmers are facing the following challenges:

Production loans

• Many farmers do not meet the security requirements of the lending institutions (including the Land Bank).
• The farmers do not qualify for multi-peril insurance.
• Should the farmers be lucky enough to qualify for multi-peril insurance, the guarantee is not enough to secure the loan.
• The small margins in dry land grain production make it risky for someone who is learning ‘the trade’ – there is no gap for mistakes.

Tractors and machinery

• In many areas, mechanisation is not available.
• In cases where there is mechanisation, the condition is often very poor.
• The government has given some areas shared equipment and the management thereof creates poor productivity.
• The use of contractors is widespread and there are huge challenges relating to this which include the timing of operations, the quality of the work being done and the high cost thereof (only the contractor ends up making money).

Issues relating to land and soil

• In the communal areas there is often insecure tenure (farmers ‘use‘ the unused land of absent farmers as well as their own land and the tenure on this land is not secure).
• The pH of the soil is low (particularly in areas with higher rainfall and higher potential), and in many areas, the phosphate levels are very low as a result of years of cultivation without the application of adequate fertilisers.
• Low potential soils are being cropped (unprofitably).
• In some areas, like the irrigation plots in Taung, four farmers share one centre pivot which creates much tension.

Recapitalisation of the farmers through the Department of Rural Development or Agriculture

We have been fortunate to access recapitalisation funding for some farmers in the programme. This process started in 2012 and to date we have managed R280 million for these farmers. The recap funding relies on an individual comprehensive business plan being developed for each farmer which includes the mechanisation requirements as well as the inputs financing (and infrastructural development in some cases).

In order to manage these funds, Grain SA had to register with the financial services board. Furthermore we have an internet based accounting system and we manage a bank account for each individual farmer. These bank accounts are with Standard Bank and they are called Third Party Fund Administration (TPFA) accounts. After the duration of the recap process, the farmer ‘loosens’ the account from Grain SA and can then operate the account on his / her own. In this way, the farmer also builds up a banking record over the duration of the project.

Database and web reporting

Over the years, we have gathered a huge amount of information about each farmer that is part of the development programme. At this stage we have a very comprehensive data base of all farmers that includes his personal information, land access and tenure type, assets (livestock, tractors and implements), production records (not of all farmers) as well as a record of the training courses he  / she has completed and study group meetings attended.

All the activities of all the personnel and contracted personnel in the programme are reported on the web site on a daily basis. These include study group visits, farm visits, training, demonstration trials, Farmer of the Year competition, mentoring reports and schools visit reports. The information is up to date and ‘live’.

Offices

Currently there are ten different development offices working with the farmers. These offices differ slightly in terms of the work they are doing as this is dependent on the area, climatic conditions, level of farming, land tenure arrangements and crops planted. Each office does a certain quota of work each year.

The projects which are managed by the offices include the study group service, planting of demonstration trials, farmers days, development of partnerships, the Farmer of the Year competition, the support to the advanced farmers as well as the making of arrangements for the training courses.

Currently the costs of the offices have been borne by the Maize Trust and the Winter Cereal Trust. The cost of an office is in the region of R1 525 000 per year.

This cost includes the personnel cost for the development coordinator as well as the office administrator, the cost of the travelling (usually in the region of 4 000 km per month), the office rental, telephone, cell phone and fax, office equipment rental and the costs of overnighting for the co-ordinator.

Die vordering ten opsigte van die nuwe-era kommersiële status was stadiger as wat verwag is, aangesien hierdie boere die volgende uitdagings moet oorkom:

Produksielenings

• Talle boere voldoen nie aan die sekuriteitsvereistes van die uitleeninstellings (insluitende die Land Bank) nie.
• Die boere kwalifiseer nie vir multirisikoversekering nie.
• Indien die boere gelukkig genoeg is om vir multirisikoversekering te kwalifiseer, is die waarborg nie genoeg om die lening te sekureer nie.
• Die klein marges in droëlandproduksie maak dit riskant vir iemand wat nog die “ambag” leer – daar is geen ruimte vir foute nie.

Trekkers en masjinerie

• In baie gebiede is meganisasietoerusting nie beskikbaar nie.
• In gevalle waar daar meganisasietoerusting is, is die toestand daarvan dikwels baie swak.
• Die regering het in sommige gebiede gedeelde toerusting verskaf, en die bestuur daarvan skep swak produktiwiteit.
• Kontrakteurs word wyd gebruik en daar is geweldige uitdagings hieraan verbonde, insluitende die tydsberekening van bedrywighede, die gehalte van die werk wat gedoen word en die hoë koste daarvan (slegs die kontrakteur maak op die ou einde geld).

Kwessies ten opsigte van grondgebied en grond

• In die kommunale gebiede is die besitreg dikwels onseker (boere “gebruik” die ongebruikte grond van afwesige boere asook hulle eie grond en die besitreg van die grond is nie verseker nie)
• Die pH van die grond is laag (veral in gebiede met hoër reënval en ’n groter potensiaal), en in talle gebiede is die fosfaatvlakke baie laag as gevolg van jare se verbouing sonder die toediening van voldoende misstowwe.
• Grond met lae potensiaal word beplant (onwinsgewend).
• In sommige gebiede, soos die besproeiingsplotte in Taung, deel vier boere een sentrale spilpunt, wat baie spanning veroorsaak.

HERKAPITALISERING VAN DIE boere DEUR DIE departement VAN LANDELIKE ontwikkeling of LANDBOU

Gelukkig kon Graan SA vir sommige boere in die program toegang tot herkapitaliseringsbefondsing verkry. Hierdie proses het in 2012 begin, en tot op hede is R280 miljoen vir hierdie program bestuur. Die herkapitaliseringsbefondsing maak daarop staat dat ’n individuele sakeplan vir elke boer ontwikkel word, insluitende die meganiese toerustingvereistes en die insetfinansiering (en in sommige gevalle die ontwikkeling van infrastruktuur).

Ten einde hierdie fondse te bestuur, moes Graan SA by die Raad op Finansiële Dienste registreer. Ons het verder ’n internet-gebaseerde rekeningkundige stelsel en bestuur ’n bankrekening vir elke individuele boer. Hierdie bankrekenings is by Standard Bank en word derdeparty-fondsadministrasie- (TPFA-) rekenings genoem. Na die verloop van die herkapitaliseringsproses bedryf die boere die rekeninge dan op hulle eie. Op hierdie manier bou die boer met verloop van die projek ’n bankrekord op.

DATABASIS EN WEBVERSLAGDOENING

Oor die jare heen het ons ’n geweldige hoeveelheid inligting ingesamel oor elke boer wat deel van die ontwikkelingsprogram is. Op hierdie stadium het ons ’n baie omvattende databasis van alle boere wat hulle persoonlike inligting, grondtoegang en tipe besitreg, bates (lewende hawe, trekkers en implemente) en produksierekords (nie van alle boere nie) bevat, en ’n rekord van die opleidingskursusse wat hulle voltooi en studiegroepvergaderings wat hulle bygewoon het.

Al die aktiwiteite van die personeel en gekontrakteerde personeel in die program word daagliks op die webwerf aangemeld. Dit sluit studiegroepbesoeke, plaasbesoeke, opleiding, demonstrasieproefnemings, Boer van die Jaar-kompetisie, mentorskapverslae en skoolbesoekverslae in.

Kantore

Daar is tans tien verskillende ontwikkelingskantore wat met die boere werk. Hierdie kantore verskil effens ten opsigte van die werk wat hulle doen, aangesien dit van die gebied, klimaatstoestande, vlak van boerdery, grondbesitregreëlings en aangeplante gewasse afhang. Elke kantoor hanteer ’n sekere kwota werk elke jaar.

Die projekte wat deur die kantore hanteer word, sluit in die studiegroepdiens, aanplanting van demonstrasieproewe, boeredae, ontwikkeling van vennootskappe, die Boer van die Jaar-kompetisie, die ondersteuning van die gevorderde boere, asook die tref van reëlings vir die opleidingskursusse.

Die koste van die kantore word tans deur die Mielietrust en die Wintergraantrust gedra. ’n Kantoor kos ongeveer R1 525 000 per jaar.

Hierdie koste sluit personeelkoste vir die ontwikkelingskoördineerder asook die kantooradministrateur, reiskoste (gewoonlik ongeveer 4 000 km per maand), kantoorhuur, telefoon-, selfoon- en fakskoste, huur van kantoortoerusting en die koördineerder se oornagverblyf in.

The offices are involved as follows:

Die kantore is soos volg betrokke:

The different offices all service a slightly different farmer client base which is why the detailed work load of each office differs from the others. The exact detail of the number of farmers and study groups services etc can be negotiated to meet the requirements of the specific officer sponsorship.

Grain SA Schools Programme

In recent years, children have become very far removed from agriculture and they have lost the connection between farming and the food we eat or the clothes we wear. It is essential that we encourage children to be aware of the value of agriculture as a source of food and fibre, a major role-player in the economy, as an employer, and as a career choice. More than half the population in Africa is under 20 years of age. Children are current consumers, consumers of the future, and the next generation of workers, and the sooner we can make them aware of the value of agriculture in general, and the maize industry in particular, the sooner we can hope to have them understand the importance thereof.

Through this programme, we engage facilitators to present DVDs at schools throughout South Africa. At this stage they have six different DVDs to show during the visits which they make to the Grade 9 learners during the first three terms of the year. The reason for visiting the Grade 9 learners is that they make their matric subject choices at the end of this grade and one is anxious to prevent them from making decisions that could impact on their future career choices. The project currently is funded by the Maize Trust, Winter Cereal Trust and the AgriSETA.

The budget for the current schools (300 schools per quarter reaching 50 000 learners per quarter) is R1,4 million. This works out to approximately R4 600 per school per year, or R28 per learner per year (for all three visits). It is customary for a facilitator to visit ten schools in a period of one week which means that a contribution of R46 000 per year will enable the ten schools to be visited three times during the year.

The current DVDs that we are showing are the following:

• Food fibre and life (The story of how agriculture developed.)
• Dig in – what is agriculture all about?  (You need more than land to farm.)
• The Economy – what’s in it for me? (How does an economy work.)
• Your lifeline – the story of bread.
• Careers with plants (Showing all options for all talents and tastes.)
• Careers with animals (Showing all options for all talents and tastes.)

The graphs indicate the progress of this project over the past number of years. The final figures of the last term of 2015 are not available yet, but should be very close to those for the other terms.

Die onderskeie kantore diens elkeen ’n effens ander boerekliëntebasis, en daarom verskil die gedetailleerde werkslading van elke kantoor. Die presiese besonderhede oor die getal boere en studiegroepdienste, ensovoorts kan beding word om by die betrokke kantoorborgskap se vereistes te pas.

Graan SA Skoleprogram

Die afgelope jare het kinders van landbou verwyderd geraak en die verband verloor tussen boerdery en die kos wat ons eet of klere wat ons dra. Dit is noodsaaklik dat ons kinders moet bewus moet wees van die waarde van landbou as ’n bron van voedsel en vesel, as ’n belangrike rolspeler in die ekonomie, as ’n werkgewer en as ’n loopbaankeuse. Meer as die helfte van die bevolking in Afrika is jonger as 20 jaar. Kinders is die huidige verbruikers, verbruikers van die toekoms, en die volgende geslag werkers. Hoe gouer ons hulle bewus kan maak van die waarde van landbou in die algemeen, en veral van die mieliebedryf, hoe gouer kan ons hulle laat verstaan hoe belangrik dit is.

Deur hierdie program gebruik ons fasiliteerders om DVD’s by skole regoor Suid-Afrika te vertoon. Op hierdie stadium het hulle ses verskillende DVD’s wat vertoon word tydens besoeke wat in die eerste drie kwartale van die jaar aan die graad 9-leerders gemaak word. Die rede vir die besoeke aan die graad 9-leerders is dat hulle aan die einde van hierdie graad hulle vakkeuses vir matriek moet maak, en ’n mens wil graag voorkom dat hulle besluite neem wat ’n impak op hulle toekomstige loopbaankeuses kan hê. Die projek word tans deur die Mielietrust, Wintergraantrust en die AgriSETA befonds.

Die begroting vir die huidige skoleprogram (300 skole per kwartaal, wat 50 000 leerders per kwartaal bereik) is R1,4 miljoen. Dit is ongeveer R4 600 per skool per jaar, of R28 per leerder per jaar (vir al drie besoeke). ’n Fasiliteerder besoek gewoonlik tien skole per week, wat beteken dat ’n bydrae van R46 000 per jaar toelaat dat die tien skole drie keer per jaar besoek kan word.

Die huidige DVD’s  wat vertoon word, is die volgende:

• Food fibre and life (Die verhaal van hoe landbou ontwikkel het.)
• Dig in – what is agriculture all about? (Jy het meer as grond nodig om te boer.)
• The Economy – what’s in it for me? (Hoe werk ’n ekonomie.)
• Your lifeline – the story of bread
• Careers with plants (Dit verskaf alle opsies vir alle talente en voorkeure.)
• Careers with animals (Dit verskaf alle opsies vir alle talente en voorkeure.)

Die grafieke toon die vordering van hierdie projek oor die afgelope aantal jare. Die finale syfers vir die laaste kwartaal van 2015 is nog nie beskikbaar nie, maar behoort baie met dié van die ander kwartale ooreen te stem.

Elke skoolfasiliteerder rapporteer op die internet oor elke besoek en hulle sluit kommentaar van die onderwysers en leerders in elke skool in. Hierdie kommentaar is baie inspirerend en toon die waardering van die kinders.