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Jaarverslag 2018
annual report 2018
We have also managed to obtain funding to provide each of the
farmers with 1 kg of dry bean seed. We hope to be able to encourage
farmers to grow these higher protein crops in their little gardens so
as to improve the level of protein in the diets of the family. As the
farmers’ skills improve, we are able to introduce them to other crops
which are more difficult to manage than maize. Maize is the staple
and it is good to learn about production through growing maize.
Courses were presented on nutrition and dry bean production. As
the farmers progress in terms of production, we felt it necessary
to start focusing on aspects of household nutrition – there used to
be a problem with the sourcing of the staple (maize), but thanks to
this programme, the farmers are producing more maize than they
require for household consumption. With this achievement they
have access to the staple, which made it possible for us to start
teaching them to balance their diets (particularly with protein which
is one of the most expensive aspects of a diet). We will be providing
the farmers with bean seed for production in their home gardens for
the next season – hence the training on bean production.
We have held the ‘train the trainer’ sessions on the Nixtamilization
process and we were most impressed by the way in which the
20 ladies (representatives from six regions) were able to assimilate
the process with regards to the preparation of food (preparing
food that is not foreign to our people, while also including the
process that will make more protein and calcium available from
the maize).
Project woes
Timeous delivery of inputs: This remains a challenge – the
logistics of getting inputs delivered to the deep rural areas (in
the rainy season).
The threshing process: This process is also slow for these farmers
as much is done by hand or by using small threshing machines.
Fencing of land: Co-operation with the Department of Agriculture
and Rural Development with regards to the fencing of land in the
communal areas would help the farmers greatly. The poor rural
farmers are not able to carry the huge costs of fencing their land.
Nutrition: Farmers are greatly advantaged now in that they have
access to the staple (maize) for both their households as well as
the domesticated livestock. However, it is necessary to teach them
about balanced nutrition (which will lead to increased interest in
other crops).
Reporting and monitoring tools: Working with subsistence farmers
is complicated because many of them are nearly illiterate. When
designing the reporting and monitoring tools, this must be borne in
mind. We are experiencing challenges with regards to the farmer
calendars and the requirement that the farmers should record the
days they have worked per month. (More than 43 000 documents
have been uploaded to the Grain SA Farmer Development website
as part of the tier-one evidence).
Poor roads: In the deep rural areas the poor condition of roads make
the delivery of inputs challenging. The commercial sector makes use
of 34 ton interlinks which require good roads. The challenge of poor
roads should be brought to the attention of the authorities.
Farmers leaving the programme: From the number of farmers that
fall out because they are required to pay a higher percentage of
the input costs, we feel the structure of the programme should
be thoroughly interrogated. It is believed that this sector of rural
farmers might require a percentage subsidy from government for
a long period. They are truly poor farmers, who need the income
from the crop to meet their daily household requirements.
Ons het dit ook reggekry om befondsing te verkry om aan elke boer
1 kg droëboonsaad te verskaf. Ons hoop om boere aan te moedig
om hierdie hoërproteïengewasse in hulle tuine te kweek om die vlak
van proteïene in die gesin se dieet te verbeter. Namate die boere se
vaardighede verbeter, kan ons hulle bekendstel aan ander gewasse
wat moeiliker is om te bestuur as mielies. Mielies is die stapelvoed-
sel en dit is goed om van produksie te leer deur mielies te verbou.
Kursusse oor voeding en droëboonproduksie is aangebied. Namate
die boere ten opsigte van produksie vorder, voel ons dit is nodig om
te begin om op aspekte van huishoudelike voeding te fokus – daar
was voorheen ’n probleem met die verkryging van die stapelvoed-
sel (mielies), maar danksy hierdie program produseer boere meer
mielies as wat hulle vir huishoudelike verbruik nodig het. Met hierdie
prestasie het hulle toegang tot die stapelvoedsel, en dit het dit vir ons
moontlik gemaak om hulle te begin leer om hulle dieet te balanseer
(veral met proteïen, wat een van die duurste aspekte van ’n dieet is).
Ons sal aan die boere bonesaad verskaf om in die volgende seisoen
in hulle tuine te plant – vandaar die opleiding oor boneproduksie.
Ons het ‘opleiding vir die opleier’-sessies oor die Nixtamilization-pro
ses gehou en was baie beïndruk met die manier waarop die 20 dames
(verteenwoordigers uit ses streke) die proses ten opsigte van die
voorbereiding van kos (voorbereiding van kos wat nie vir ons mense
vreemd is nie, terwyl dit ook die proses insluit wat meer proteïen en
kalsium uit die mielies beskikbaar te stel) kon assimileer.
Projekteleurstellings
Tydige lewering van insette: Dit bly ’n uitdaging – die logistiek
om insette in die afgeleë landelike gebied te laat aflewer (in die
reënseisoen).
Die dorsproses: Hierdie proses is ook stadig vir hierdie boere, aan
gesien heelwat met die hand of met klein dorsmasjiene gedoen word.
Omheining van grond: Samewerking met die Departement van
Landbou en Landelike Ontwikkeling ten opsigte van die omheining
van grond in die gemeenskaplike gebiede sal die boere baie help.
Die arm landelike boere kan nie die geweldige koste dra om hulle
grond te omhein nie.
Voeding: Boere word baie bevoordeel omdat hulle nou toegang tot
die stapelvoedsel (mielies) vir hulle huishouding sowel as vir die
mak vee het. Dit is egter nodig om hulle oor gebalanseerde voeding
te leer (wat tot groter belangstelling in ander gewasse sal lei).
Verslagdoenings- en moniteringsinstrumente: Dit is ingewikkeld om
met bestaansboere te werk, omdat talle van hulle feitlik ongeletterd
is. Wanneer die verslagdoenings- en moniteringsinstrumente ontwerp
word, moet dit in gedagte gehou word. Ons ervaar uitdagings ten
opsigte van die boerderykalenders en die vereiste dat die boere die
dae wat hulle elke maand werk, moet aanteken. (Meer as 43 000 do-
kumente is as deel van die vlak 1-bewyse op die Graan SA Landbou-
ontwikkeling-webwerf opgelaai.)
Swak paaie: In die afgeleë landelike gebiede maak die swak toestand
van die paaie die lewering van insette uitdagend. Die kommersiële
sektor gebruik 34 ton-
interlinks
, wat goeie paaie vereis. Die uitdaging
van swak paaie moet onder die aandag van owerhede gebring word.
Boere wat die program verlaat: As gevolg van die getal boere
wat onttrek omdat hulle ’n groter persentasie van die insetkoste
moet betaal, voel ons dat die struktuur van die program deeglik
ondersoek moet word. Daar word geglo dat hierdie sektor van plat-
telandse boere moontlik vir ’n lang tydperk ’n persentasie subsidie
van die regering kan benodig. Hulle is uiters arm boere wat die
inkomste uit die gewas nodig het om in hulle daaglikse huishoude-
like behoeftes te voorsien.