AGRICULTURE'S DAY CARE MOTHER

September is the beginning of a new season for those of us living in the Southern Hemisphere. For the growers of winter grains, men and women alike, it is time to harvest that which has been planted, and for the summer grains it is the start of planting time.

The dusty, dirty, brown and black fire scorched areas are washed clean by thunder showers and all the old “waste” of winter becomes new again. It is a nice time of the year. It is even a good time to once again take stock of where you are in your personal life with the goals you have set for yourself and to determine whether you are still well under way.

Spring is also the inspiration to take on new challenges. I wish to urge you to especially take stock of your relationships and then to execute those resolutions or implement what you have decided in your heart.

Towards the end of July this year I had an interesting experience that I wish to share with you. After a very difficult and full week, I found myself in one of the Reserve Bank’s boardrooms. Surrounding me were a large group of agricultural leaders.

The occasion was one where the governor of the Reserve Bank, Ms Gill Marcus, had invited the leaders of the agricultural sector for an open discussion on the role of agriculture in the economy. Agri SA had made a presentation on how we as sector viewed ourselves and what we perceived. Thereafter Marcus allowed the men and women around the table to give their commentary and inputs.

We already knew each other so well that we were fully aware of what each one was going to say. Here and there a few new, fresh issues resulting from new circumstances in and around us were raised. We discussed a number of serious issues: Food security, land reform, the impact of mining on agriculture, access to financing and the local and international markets. Then we again talked about shortcomings with regard to service delivery and infrastructure; as well as safety on farms. Labour matters were also discussed openly. We all started participating in the discussions more enthusiastically and our confidence increased to open our hearts as farmers to talk about everything.

It was at this juncture that I began to reflect and started wondering about what was actually happening. Marcus was not a minister or political figure. She never interrupted anyone. She listened! Her mandate did not stretch as far as what we were putting on the table, but she was listening with a sympathetic ear – something that does not happen often.

She also made no promises in her commentary when responding. She identified our problem quite quickly and our once growing enthusiasm rapidly dwindled when we viewed ourselves through her glasses, seeing again that once well-known, but unpleasant picture: There is no trust between us as agriculturalists and the political leaders of our country.

For a moment we had swooned into how it might be if we were listened to.

During the return trip I again pondered over the meeting and thought about an image that we often see in the big city. It was the concept of a day care mother. These are the ladies who during the day mind the toddlers whose mothers are working. Gill Marcus had pulled us onto her lap, listened to our story, kissed the hurt better, put on a plaster and once again told us to go outside to play and be careful not to get hurt.

In the evening when our real mother returned, she gave us back to her – this mother of ours who was so busy that she did not even have the time to listen and put on some ointment. The one who herself was tired and facing other priorities; and who could not help now because she was too busy preparing food and doing her work that she had brought home from the office; and then there was still the time she had to spend with dad.

However, I wish to close with a second perception, and that is the advances we as producers have made in uniting across the barriers of race. When one of the black producers started off by stating that his biggest problem was crime, I realised that we were now all producers and what mattered for one, mattered equally for the others.

With a mother who was working and a day care mother caring (albeit only emotionally) we as producers have moved closer to one another and that gave me hope for the new season lying ahead: A season as in a period of time and not just three months.

Jannie de Villiers, CEO