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July 2025
| LOUISE KUNZ, ASSISTANT EDITOR, PULA |
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THE NOMINEES FOR THE 2025 GRAIN SA FARMER OF THE YEAR COMPETITION REPRESENT THE THOUSANDS OF GRAIN FARMERS IN THE FARMER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (FDP) WHO WORK HARD EVERY SINGLE DAY TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILIES. THIS YEARLY COMPETITION IS A HIGHLIGHT FOR ALL FARMERS AND THE PERSONNEL OF PHAHAMA GRAIN PHAKAMA (PGP) AND GRAIN SA.
It offers an opportunity for all farmers that are active members of the programme, whether big or small, to showcase their hard work and determination.
MORE ABOUT THE COMPETITION
This competition entails that a handful of Subsistence, Smallholder, Potential New Era and New Era Commercial candidates from each province are nominated according to strict criteria. Since there are so many deserving farmers, it is not possible for the regional development managers (RDM) to enter them all. So, the ones chosen as nominees serve as examples of what can be achieved.
Then a judging panel takes to the road to visit each of the nominees. They are interviewed and asked detailed questions about their production practices, financial management, record-keeping, general progress and the quality of their crops.
For the 2025 judging panel the following stood out during this year’s evaluation:
It’s important to keep in mind that the primary aim of this competition is not winning; it is about celebrating the development and hard work of the thousands of farmers in the FDP. It is meant to be a source of motivation and inspiration to all farmers to continuously work towards improving and reaching their goals. Your goal should never be to be nominated or to win, but to improve because that is what success is.
INTERESTING FACTS
HERE ARE THE 2025 NOMINEES
If you have been nominated for this competition, you are doing something right and setting an example for others of what can be achieved. With the support of the FDP team, all these nominees have shown growth in their farming operations. Their hard work will be acknowledged at the Day of Celebration on 1 October.
BEING PART OF THE JUDGING PANEL FOR THE FARMER OF THE YEAR COMPETITION WAS AN INCREDIBLY HUMBLING AND INSPIRING EXPERIENCE. WHAT STOOD OUT MOST WAS THE RESILIENCE OF FARMERS WHO OPERATE UNDER INFRASTRUCTURE CONSTRAINT CONDITIONS RANGING FROM WATER, ELECTRICITY, FENCING AND ROADS TO MARKET ACCESS.
Rural safety remained a stumbling block from stock theft to state resources that stand as vandalised white elephants yet continue to push forward with remarkable determination. I was moved by the diverse skill sets and innovative practices that farmers employed to sustain their agricultural enterprise, households and contribute meaningfully to local food security.
Particularly encouraging was the strong presence and leadership of women, especially in study groups, and the genuine willingness to learn and improve, even where resources are limited. Many households rely on the PGP Beyond Abundance (BA) programme not just for support but as a pillar of their local economy, where produce is sold and consumed locally at market-related prices.
It was also eye-opening to see that even farmers in the potential commercial or new era categories often remain non-bankable due to challenges around creditworthiness and collateral. This highlights the need for more inclusive financial models for previously disadvantaged farmers. This journey has reinforced my belief in the power of agriculture to uplift rural communities when support, knowledge, and opportunity meet farmer passion.
Mlibo Qotoyi, agricultural economist intern at Grain SA
Publication: July 2025
Section: Pula/Imvula
