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Desember 2014
8
Resolve
A
lthough agriculture in 2014 faces the very same challeng-
es that we have faced over numerous years, it is my can-
did opinion that Grain SA and the umbrella organisation
Agri SA and its affiliates, understand the complexity of
the daunting challenges we face. At last, within the confines of
organised agriculture, we have a framework that is both constitu-
tionally and economically sound and will serve as a premise of de-
parture for further deliberations regarding land reform, economic
growth, job creation and the addressing of the grinding poverty
situation that confronts so many of the most vulnerable individuals
of our society.
We, as a nation, should regard the necessity of transformation
and land reform as an imperative. We would be wise to afford
our constitution and food security the very same status. If we are
serious about land reform and transformation, it is of cardinal
importance that land prices should not be undermined, given the
fact that the land itself stands as security for the very production
credit that we garner, on the strength of the security offered to
financial institutions in the form of land.
It must be agreed that Sections 25 and 36 of our constitution are
the cornerstones of food security. The environment afforded to
entrepreneurs within the free market system, enables them to
produce affordable food and fibre at competitive prices. Food
security is a national asset and should be nurtured, for it is a privilege
and not a right. In this regard, it would be apt to state that the
maize producers of South Africa produced not only enough maize
to sustain our own population and export a surplus, but also
supplied the people of Zimbabwe with 250 000 tons of maize to
stave imminent starvation in that country.
Southern Africa also enjoys the privilege of food security that is
brought about by the continued sustainable production of grains
across the board. One shudders to think that in certain quarters
of society, these facts do not play a prominent role in the greater
debate about agriculture. Of course land reform and transformation
in the agricultural sector must be addressed within the confines
of both constitutional and economic reason. One cannot imagine
what the consequences would be if interventionism prevailed.
The tragedy about South Africa is that these facts are irresponsi-
bly misconstrued by protagonists that simply do not understand
the true economics of agriculture and commodity production in
South Africa.
I would like to take the opportunity to remind civil society in general,
that South African food security was balanced on a knife’s edge
because of the prevailing weather conditions in February 2014 and
that an imminent crisis was averted by one weather occasion, by
the precipitation that was received over the greater western grain
producing areas. Had it not been for this one weather system,
most grains produced in the summer rainfall production areas would
have doubled in price.
The time has come for South Africans to consider a return to
president Nelson Mandela’s inclusive approach, for it will stand us
in good stead, not only in agriculture, but across society in general.
If we are serious about job creation and poverty alleviation, the
beneficiation of agricultural products produced in rural South Africa
would receive the necessary support from government, financiers,
agri-businesses and primary producers so that the necessary
investment in beneficiation could take place. Only then can we
claim to address the evils of society – which are joblessness and
the grinding poverty.
South African agriculture and our government need to enter into
broad cooperation and a holistic, sustainable debate about tariff
protection and the levelling of agricultural commodity competition.
This is by virtue of the fact that South African producers compete
against heavily subsidised producers in the Western world, which
distort market prices.
Ek wil die lede van Graan SA, wat die organisasie so getrou onder-
steun, bedank vir julle deursettingsvermoë en die ondersteuning
van ‘n moderne organisasie wat die uitdagings van die tyd
verstaan. Ek wil ons twee visevoorsitters, mnre Andries Theron
en Victor Mongoato bedank vir die wyse waarop hulle deurgaans
tyd opoffer om die saak van die graanprodusent aan te spreek.
Aan die voorsitters van komitees en lede van die hoofbestuur, die
uitvoerende hoofbestuurder, mnr Jannie de Villiers en die getroue
personeel van Graan SA – my innige dank vir die wyse waarop
julle die jaar aangepak en deurgesien het.
Laaste, maar nie die minste nie, ons diepe dank aan die Hemelse
Vader sonder wie niks bereik kan word nie.
Geseënde Kersfees en ‘n voorspoedige 2015 aan almal. Ek wens
vir julle ‘n suksesvolle plant- en strooptyd toe. Mag julle milde
reën ontvang.
Ek is trots daarop om die voorsitter van Graan SA te wees en
hiermee dra ek graag my innige dank oor vir die wyse waarop
julle my deurentyd ontvang.
Louw Steyt ler
Voorsitter: Graan SA
GRAIN SA
Grain SA Christmas message