It was a jubilant atmosphere that filled the air at the Agricultural Research Council’s (ARC) potato harvest day in Bronkhorstspruit, Gauteng on Tuesday, 13 February. The harvest day, marking 75 years of dedicated research in potato and sweet potato breeding, celebrated the small-scale farmers who participated in the programme.
Dr Lerato Matsaunyane, research team manager for farmer support, commercialisation, and enterprise development at the ARC, beamed with pride as she spoke to Food For Mzansi about the significance of the day.
“This harvest day is a celebration of our current potato farmers who have participated in our programme,” she explained.
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Potato farmers taught on best practices
Hosted on the side of the ARC-DALRRD Conference, through collaboration with the department of agriculture, land reform and rural development, twelve farmers had been selected for specialised training within the potato industry.
“Our aim is to take these farmers from theoretical knowledge to practical skills,” Matsaunyane elaborated. “From preparation to planting, from applying chemicals to scouting for pests and diseases, we guide them every step of the way.”
As the day unfolded, the fields echoed with laughter and excitement as the participants and their mentors looked on with satisfaction, seeing the fruits of their labour materialise.
“We wanted to showcase and celebrate the fact that you are able to have smallholder farmers that can make a profit or a living from the potato industry. Gauteng was one of our case studies,” said Matsaunyane.
South Africa’s potato industry is structured with a combination of large-scale commercial farms and smaller-scale growers contributing to the overall production.
Matsaunyane said they wanted to help ensure that small-scale growers also have the opportunity to participate in the value chain. This is why government and agricultural organisation training programmes are so important in equipping small-scale growers with the necessary knowledge and skills to improve their farming practices, from crop management to post-harvest handling.
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