The expropriation without compensation debate has been making national headlines since December, with many proponents arguing that it would economically empower the poor. However, Zamikhaya Maseti, a senior specialist for public and sector policy at the Land Bank, says that no land reform policy can be successful if new black farmers do not have adequate access to markets.
With land expropriation without compensation set to become a reality and a defining feature of South Africa’s land reform trajectory beyond 2019, its implementation is expected to enable fundamental transformation across the entire agricultural value chain, from primary to secondary agriculture and even at tertiary level.
It would not be enough to merely transfer agricultural land without radically altering the balance of forces in both the agro-business and retail supply value chains.
A successful land reform programme should bring about patterns of economic participation and empowerment across the agriculture sector that enable marginalised groups to increase the size of their farms, resulting in their ability to farm on a sustainable scale.
If this implementation does not result in meaningful economic transformation and participation, it will indeed be meaningless. South Africa’s agro-food market landscape has grown, but black producers have been excluded from the sector. This skew towards large producers has been the norm in the sector for many years. Therefore, any discussion of fundamental transformation within the agro-food or business value chain must consider this current reality.
This is something that the Agricultural Policy Action Plan (APAP) is grappling with, and it is calling on all actors in the sector to intervene.
CHALLENGES FACING SMALLHOLDERS
In appraising the main challenges facing small commercial producers in the agro-business sector, the APAP notes the following:
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Denne historien er fra August 24, 2018-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
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Syngenta Seedcare celebrates a decade of innovation
Syngenta's ambition is to enable their customers' investments to grow in healthy soil from treated seeds to young plants through innovation and collaboration, writes Magda du Toit.
Agri workers shine at Western Cape awards
Lindie-Alet van Staden, a garden and olive orchard manager at L’Ormarins Wine Estate in Franschhoek, was crowned as the Western Cape Prestige Agri-Worker of 2024 at a gala event recently held near Paarl.
Small and large farmers recognised at grain awards
The annual Grain SA/Syngenta awards ceremony bears testimony to the quality of farmers in the grain industry.
Growing partnerships: Fedgroup's flexible and innovative approach
Janine Ryan spoke to Warren Winchester, general manager of impact investing at Fedgroup, about why the company became involved in agriculture, and what it offers farmers and their immediate communities.
Why fish farms fail, and how to avoid becoming a statistic
The popularity of launching fish farms is not matched by their success. Leslie Ter Morshuizen, owner of Aquaculture Solutions, explores the factors that cause most of these businesses to go under.
Where history and modernity meet in a luxurious setting
Brian Berkman kept his eyes peeled for ghosts in the oldest continuously run hotel in South Africa, but all he found was a fabulous two-night stay.
THE HITCHING POST
I'm a stylish elderly lady with a radiant glow and a good sense of humour that keeps me young at heart.
Cutworms: check the weeds on your fields!
Zunel van Eeden explains why understanding the ecological interplay between cutworms and weeds is crucial for effective pest management. Producers should disrupt the life cycle of cutworms to minimise crop damage.
Does high-density grazing mimic grazing patterns of game?
In their paper on high-density grazing in Southern Africa, professors Angelinus Franke and Elmarie Kotzé from the Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences at the University of the Free State say high-density grazing systems may not accurately reflect natural ecosystems. Roelof Bezuidenhout reports.
Global grain outlook: 2024/25 marketing season
In its latest summer crops report, the Crop Estimates Committee says South African farmers intend to plant 4,47 million hectares of summer grains and oilseeds in the 2024/25 season, up 1% from the previous season. As South Africa exports maize and soya bean, Annelie Coleman reports on the latest trends in the international grain and oilseed markets, amid fluctuations in weather conditions and ongoing armed conflicts.
