By Emily Setona
BETHLEHEM – Young farmers in the Thabo Mofutsanyana district Municipality (TMDM) have acknowledged that they cannot entirely depend on government and have thus concluded that the only way to thrive as black farmers is to work together.
What became clear and apparent during a very robust dialogue session between the MEC of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) Elsabe Rockman, key stakeholders and the youth farmers of the TMDM that was held on 28 September at Thabo Thokoza Secondary School (SS) in Bohlokong Bethlehem is that farmers are tired of waiting for government to solve their problems and realise that the only way to succeed is to act as a collective.
Nkosana Mtambo who is fondly known as ‘Farm boy’ is a black commercial farmer from Vrede who delivered an inspirational speech.
“I’d like to say to the youth, we must unite because the way that we are doing things won’t help us. We need to unite, the department has good programmes, when we leave here, let us go and mobilize other farmers. In Phumelela we have a farmer’s group called Phumelela Agri.
“There is an African proverb that says walking alone you will walk faster but you will get tired along the way, but when we walk together, we can walk farther. I’d like to say to the MEC, use us, there are many commercial farmers here. I will connect you to the farmers, I will bring you the challenges straight from them and I say to the young farmers gathered here, I will make myself available to help you guys.”
A young female farmer from Qwaqwa, Itumeleng Matla, made a heartfelt plea to young farmers to work together.
“Listening to some of the farmers who spoke before me, I hear a common theme of farmers saying they lost out on opportunities because of the department’s delay in assisting them with funds.
“We were also faced with the same challenge but decided to unite with other poultry farmers in our community, so that we do not lose the market opportunity that we have secured for ourselves. Our capacity to deliver on our orders is often challenged by our lack of access to the land and this is an underlying theme for all of us. We as young farmers shouldn’t close ourselves with opportunities because in so doing we all lose, looking at the bigger picture we need to unite and then challenge the department to improve their processes so that we can succeed as black farmers, “Matla said.
Itumeleng Matla young poultry farmer at Thabo Thokoza SS during TMDM youth farmers dialogue.
In response to the points made by this group of farmers, DARD HOD Dr. Takisi Masiteng said that in the main the issues raised have a lot to do with the processes of the department.
“The issues that you raised, in the main they deal with the processes in terms of accessing the grants, we also realized that this is a problem that we are facing. On the issue of access to the market, you have answered yourselves.
“If you know your neighbour plants cabbages and you have secured an order, but you do not have enough cabbages, call your neighbour. That is why one of the farmers said don’t close yourselves off and keep the opportunities to yourself. This way you will lose,” Masiteng said.
The dialogue session was closed by MEC Rockman.
“Networking is very important. It doesn’t mean you give up your independence. I’m just saying together we are stronger. As government departments we need to coordinate ourselves better because it feels like the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing and much of these frustrations stem out of this.
“Out of the districts that we visited the turnout here was the least, but the input that you gave us was very inspirational. You didn’t just come here with complaints, but you also have solutions, so thank you for coming out to engage with us, it shows that you are really passionate about farming,” she said
