In South Africa’s agricultural sector, commercialisation is difficult for new farmers. This week, Tebogo Mokgoadi, a poultry farmer and the director of socioeconomic development at the Kagiso Trust, one of South Africa’s leading development organisations, discusses how they support farmers.
According to Mokgoadi, the Kagiso Trust is a non-profit organisation aimed at turning small-scale farmers into commercial farmers.
“We [Kagiso Trust] also have a hybrid model, something between being a typical NPO but also being driven commercially on the other side.”
Aiding expansion
Mokgoadi says one of their programmes focuses solely on social and economic development. What keeps Kagiso Trust going is the desire to do good work in a way that is both transformative and environmentally responsible.
“One of the key things that motivate us to focus a lot more on youth is the generational gap issue that we worry about. We find ourselves talking about food security issues now already.”
Looking at the youth, he suggests that they seek the quickest way to adopt new agricultural practices.
Mokgoadi says that disability issues for individuals with impairments in the agricultural industry must be examined.
Although they do not have the deep pockets for financial assistance like government stakeholders, they are able to do whatever they can to help farmers, he adds.
“One of the things that I know farmers are contesting with is the cost of doing business. Whether we like it or not, farming is becoming a little bit expensive to deliver the same quantities as before.”
Mokgoadi also looks at the following during this episode:
- The interaction between Kagiso Trust and Tyala Impact Fund;
- The utilisation of technology and mechanisation; and
- The Kagiso Trust strategy for social economic development.
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