As South Africa approaches elections, the agricultural sector stands as a pivotal pillar of the nation’s economy and social fabric. With its rich history, diverse landscapes, and abundant natural resources, agriculture not only contributes significantly to gross domestic product but also sustains livelihoods across rural communities.
With the countdown to the much-anticipated elections having started, campaigning of political parties is in full swing. Many farmers across the country have mixed reactions to the upcoming polls and shared their frustrations on the lack of support they have gotten on their operations over the past years.
Limpopo macadamia farmer Maumela Lutendo said she is not sure why she must vote after the government failed to assist her in growing her operations.
Frustrated voters
“As a young female farmer… government has not assisted me. I am not asking for money but rather operational inputs for my company to grow. I cannot rely on government to feed me. I need to run my business. After knocking on many doors, I have given up because all they do is promise and nothing happens.
“I had my house burning which included important documents of my company and identity documents of myself and my children. Today the very same government has not come to help me. They came to see the situation and left without lifting a finger. Why must I vote, and also vote for who? In my view all these people are the same,” she said.
North West-based ostrich farmer Kabelo Lekalakala said the upcoming elections are significant as they coincide with thirty years since the first democratic elections were held in 1994.
“As a young farmer, I understand that a meaningful contribution to the economy is through access to land and owning the means of production, especially in the agricultural sector.
“Because I understand how we got this democracy, yes, I am going to exercise my power and I will go and vote and choose the leadership that is accountable to its people and serve the people. I will vote with my conscience taking into consideration my experience and challenges as a farmer for the past five years,” he said.
Expectations for the new government
Lekalakala said he expects that the new government would put more emphasis on transformation when it comes to ostrich farming and funding mechanisms for black farmers.
“I hope the new administration will give me an ear and commit resources so that myself and those that am representing who are aspiring farmers in the growing niche market of ostrich farming, could be listened to so that they also take part in the economy,” he said.
Poultry farmer Nqobile Khumalo from Warrenton in the Northern Cape, said she is going to vote even though she has not decided on which party she would be voting for. She said she hopes for change in the coming elections.
“My expectation for the new government [is] to support small-medium enterprises which are [the] backbone of many economies, access to finance, building programmes, and market support, especially from the agriculture department.
“Also this load shedding and water shedding – I am expecting that a new government will focus on [it] because it is affecting our business. Our business depends on electricity for the fridge, pluck machine, slaughtering and packaging. We cannot do without those two important elements,” she expressed.
Khumalo said as a young farmer she is expecting the government to take a closer look at the policies that facilitate market access, reduce trade barriers, and ensure fair prices for their products that would favour small-scale farmers.
‘I am voting’
Dimpho Xaba, a commercial farmer in Gauteng, said the elections are significant to young farmers like himself and the agriculture sector as a whole.
“The elections are important because it is either you maintain the current policies or you change them after evaluation, so it is crucial to participate in elections as a young farmer.
“Yes, I am going to vote and I have also decided on the party which is mainly because of their policies. They might not be as perfect as one envisages but when you check the alternative parties, when they present their policies they are not clearer,” he said.
Xaba added that they would want the new government to push the agenda of transformation in the agricultural sector to ensure there is increased participation of young people in the agricultural space, and prioritise young people in terms of allocation of funds.
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Uncertain who will be in charge
A poultry farmer in Mpumalanga Lebogang Mashigo said she is going to vote as she wants to be the change that she envisions seeing.
“I am not ready to disclose who I will vote for. These elections are very crucial for me as a farmer because I have a government-funded project which should be completed by October this year. And since the elections are happening now in May I am a little concerned about the development.
“Because I believe that part of our funding and the project at large will be dependent on who is in charge or who is in office after the elections, that is something that I find myself thinking about a lot. So I am concerned about the impact the elections will have on my project,” she said.
Mashigo said the next administration should focus on finishing all the agricultural projects as they create jobs.
“I would also like to see more investment being done in rural areas because many people do not have jobs in those areas and agriculture is the only solution to the challenge that youth and women face in rural communities,” she said.
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