Champion farmer's support plan for emerging farmers

In 2019 Rego Malao was crowned SA Stud Book and Unistel’s Emerging Stud Farmer of the Year. With his farming enterprise growing by leaps and bounds, he came up with a first-rate plan to assist emerging farmers, who share his passion for beef cattle production, on their road to success.

- Andries Gouws

On a recent visit to his farm Boschkop near Ventersdorp, it was encouraging to note just how positive Rego is about agriculture in general, and beef cattle farming in particular. And this amid people’s dispirited attitude towards the COVID-19 lockdown.

“It is such a positive message. Except for agriculture, almost all industries had to close their doors during the initial lockdown phases. Whether sick or healthy, people need to eat, and it is the agricultural industry that is putting food on the table and that cannot be closed,” he says.

The minute this realisation dawned on him, he decided to invest all the extra money he makes in agriculture, where a bright future is waiting. However, he also believes it is imperative for government to take a fresh look at farmers and finally realise what food security really means.

A plan to support cattle farmers

His plan to assist other emerging farmers took shape in the North West province when, during negotiations initiated by him, Boran bulls were donated to passionate emerging cattle farmers in order to boost their businesses.

The North West Provincial Government and the Boran Cattle Breeders’ Society entered a partnership in which established breeders agreed to donate ten Boran bulls to emerging farmers identified by the government and who meet certain set criteria.

In order to receive such a bull the emerging farmer must, among others, already own at least 30 cows and must demonstrate his or her passion for cattle farming. The aim is for the participating breeders to promote the Boran’s popularity and to expose emerging farmers to the advantages of such a bull in order to improve their herds.