Vivian Jakobs says that when he was growing up on the farm Wanganella, which has since been renamed Beste Wens, in the Warm Bokkeveld, people at school in Ceres used to look down on him; they did not expect him to amount to much in life.
Jakobs believes this was because he was a farmworker’s child, just like his father, grandfather and great-grandfather before him. But he has proved them all wrong by working his way up from being a seasonal worker to becoming manager of one of the farms belonging to Crispy Farms, in which the Dutoit Group has a 49% stake. Farmworkers, including himself, have a 51% stake.
On top of this he was recently crowned winner of the Western Cape Agri-Prestige Worker of 2023, which means Jakobs has won a cash prize and an educational trip overseas worth around R80 000.
Jakobs has also become a member of an elite forum consisting of previous winners of the competition, that regularly meet with the Western Cape agriculture minister to discuss matters affecting farmworkers and the agriculture industry.
A VALUABLE TOOL
“I knew I did not have the financial means to study after matric, but my family equipped me with a very valuable tool: they taught me, from a young age, that you can get somewhere in life if you work hard,” he says.
After school he joined the military for two years. When he got back home, work was scarce so initially he was a contract worker on farms. He admits it was not always easy to motivate himself to go to work, especially on very cold or hot days: “On those days, I would remind myself that I was doing this work to provide for and create a better future for my family.”
Denne historien er fra February 09, 2024-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
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Denne historien er fra February 09, 2024-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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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.
