Agricultural students are finding solutions to some of agriculture’s most complex problems. During a recent session with his students, Dr Qinisani Qwabe, lecturer at the University of the Free State’s department of sustainable food systems and development, and founder of Ubuntu AgriRenaissance, unpacked the following:
- Existing challenges that smallholder farmers in previously disadvantaged “rural” communities grapple with.
- How small- and large-scale farmers could co-exist.
- Why some small-scale operators have little to no will of transitioning into operating at a large scale.
I recently had an interesting session with a group of my agricultural science students. During the lecture, I presented two questions that relate to South Africa’s agricultural context.
The first question sought to determine whether these future agricultural experts understood the conditions in which they may find themselves in upon the completion of their degrees.
This was done intentionally knowing that the lecture consisted of different groups that specialise in different fields of agriculture, which among others include agricultural extension, crop production, livestock production, and mixed farming.
It was soothing to learn how cognisant they were of the existing challenges that farmers have to grapple with on a day-to-day basis, particularly smallholder farmers that dwell in the previously disadvantaged “rural” communities.
Among some of those challenges, the following were unsurprisingly the most common:
- Lack of access to information, technology and markets;
- Lack of education;
- Lack of capital;
- Limited access to farming resources;
- Poor infrastructure (incl. roads); and
- Water restrictions.
These challenges are not new and are known to be pressing challenges in institutions whose concern centers around the socio-economic development of the previously disadvantaged groups.
Such institutions in the public sector include the department of agriculture, land reform and rural development (DALRRD) as well as the department of social development (DSD).
Some farmers are content with small-scale
For a change, the second question of interest was controversial and was aimed at exploring ways in which commercial farmers could contribute to the growth and development of their small-scale counterparts.
While heated discussions were held in trying to answer this question, I must confess that this is not a question that one can easily address.
However, the engagement was quite mind-stimulating. Everyone seemed to have an interesting outlook on how small- and large-scale farmers could co-exist, until Christopher (fictional name) stood up at the back and indicated that we may be asking the wrong question.
His assertion was that some farmers are content with producing at a small-scale, produce enough to feed their families, and sell their surplus only when it is convenient to them.
At the mention of this, I could not help but wonder if we really are addressing an existing problem or perhaps if we are creating solutions to a non-existent problem by making efforts towards transitioning farmers into operating at a large scale, when they have little to no will of doing so, and in the quest of trying to bridge the triple threat challenge.
Finding sustainable solutions
I was also taken aback to the days when I used to work with land reform beneficiaries and recalled that most farmers, who, at the time had benefited from the land reform programme, had either sold the lands to already practicing commercial farmers or had left the land lying fallow with its implements.
Having grown up on a commercial farm, Christopher mentions that it is hard for commercial farmers to make investments on small farmers as they mostly do not have the passion for farming, but rather see it as a livelihood strategy rather than a business opportunity.
Among many other points that were raised was the concept of adopting a farmer initiative, whereby commercial farmers could provide mentorship and coaching while closely monitoring the progress of the mentee.
I was astounded when one lady stood up and mentioned that perhaps cooperatives would have an increased success rate if they had at least one commercial farmer as part of the association (assuming that there are accessible commercial farmers).
To say the least, while we may not have it all figured out yet, it is comforting to learn that our young leaders in the agriculture sector carry ideas (although fragmented at this stage) that could contribute towards sustainable solutions in the future.
- Credit to this piece is given to the University of the Free State’s AGEX 2624 class of 2022.
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