Farmers and agricultural experts have raised concerns about the government’s ability to shape local municipalities, saying poor local governance continues to hinder farming operations nationwide.
This year is designated for local government elections, which are mainly hotly contested, as that sphere of government is closer to communities.
An expert on governance systems in the public sector from the University of Free State (UFS), Dr Harlan Cloete, said the government’s promise to fix municipalities has been made for the past 20 years, and nothing has been done.
“Government keep on saying they are prioritising, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating. So local government is centred at the community level specifically for agriculture, which is at the bedrock of the economy in terms of food security,” Cloete said.
State of road infrastructure
With farmers fixing road infrastructure, Cloete noted that it could be an ideal opportunity for municipalities to form partnerships with organised agriculture.
“We have an institutional framework for those types of partnerships to take place, and in municipalities, we have local economic development units. And with that, the managers need to engage local role players such as the farming sector, and that can be done through the integrated development plan (IDP) consultations,” he said.
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Pretoria-based farmer Dimpho Xaba said local government is crucial for farmers because each farming operation belongs to a municipality and is affected by service delivery, whether good or bad.
“The conditions in government deserve more attention because the main focus is there in terms of service delivery, not even at provincial or national levels. Development in the local sphere of government is extensively crucial in building a resilient economy for farming communities.
“Infrastructure is a very important element when it comes to local government that we cannot ignore. For farmers to transport their produce, they need to utilise road infrastructure, which needs to be in a good state so that the produce reaches the market in good condition and on time,” Xaba said.
The commercial manager at Free State Agriculture, Dr Jack Armour, said municipalities are doing nothing for provincial roads, and most industries are in small towns with shocking municipal roads.
Investment in people and animal health needed
When it comes to livestock management, Armour said, “In line with FMD, most local municipalities have no control over the livestock grazing on the land under their control, as they do not comply with their own bylaws. Our commercial farmer members get no help or assistance from municipalities.
“Proper commonage management by local municipalities is crucial for FMD and other disease control and the prevention of livestock theft.”
A crop farmer from Newcastle in KwaZulu-Natal, Thabo Skhosana, said he does not think the government is working intentionally with farmers, as there are things like agri-parks that should be at the forefront of municipalities.
“On paper, what government preaches, they do not practice in reality. It is easy to say the right things, but when it comes to implementation, there is nothing. Also, youth development for farmers in local government leaves a lot to be desired on all fronts.
“Government fails us in terms of development and funding, so there is a lot of work that still needs to be done. Government does not invest in the right people, especially when it comes to agriculture,” he said.
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