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The
grain and oilseed industry
of south africa – A journey through time
22
From 1 October 2008 the programme was transferred to the Farmer Development
Division and it has expanded considerably, as contractors were sent to schools for
submissions. Schools’ visits to NAMPO Park were thus ended.
The following DVDs for the schools programme are currently available:
•
Food fibre and life
(The story of how agriculture developed.)
•
Dig in – what is agriculture all about?
(You need more than land to farm.)
•
The Economy – what’s in it for me?
(How an economy works.)
•
Your lifeline – the story of bread
(The story of bread.)
•
Careers with plants
(This provides many options for all talents and tastes.)
•
Careers with animals
(This provides many options for all talents and tastes.)
The budget for the current schools programme (2015/2016), which reaches
300 schools and 50 000 learners/term), is R1,4 million. It works out at approxi-
mately R4 600/school, or R28/learner/year (for all three visits). It is customary
for a facilitator to visit ten schools a week, which means that a contribution of
R46 000/year allows the ten schools to be visited three times during the year.
The graphs alongside show the progress of this project since 2010. Each school
facilitator reports on each visit, with comments from the teachers and learners at
each school.
3. Maize meal donation to Rustenburg platinum belt
On 23 January 2014 almost 70 000 platinum workers in the Rustenburg area who
were members of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU)
started striking. The strike affected all three South Africa’s large platinum mines.
Many companies that were not directly affected by the strike also felt its negative
effects. Companies that were suppliers to the mines incurred great losses, and
in some cases workers were retrenched and companies even went bankrupt. The
strike also had a major impact on the people of Rustenburg. The workers, who
were already largely living in poverty, lost about R11 billion in total in salaries,
and had to rely on the support of relatives and charity institutions.
Grain SA learnt of this and wanted to do something to alleviate the plight of
these people. In July 2014 12 tons of maize meal were donated to the victims of
the Rustenburg platinum belt. Grain SA, in collaboration with Pioneer Foods and
Loubser Transport, launched a project that delivered and distributed the meal.
4. Participation in 67 Minutes Mandela Initiative
On 18 July 2014 and 2015, on Nelson Mandela’s birthday, people across South Africa
supported the Nelson Mandela Initiative for change. The aim of the campaign is to
illustrate the importance of good deeds in the daily lives of South Africans.
Bramley Children’s Home is a residential care facility for traumatised and abused
children. It offers a safe haven to 54 children who need care. With only 50% of the
expenses being covered by the government and regular donations, the facility is
very dependent on support and donations.
Since the introduction of the Schools
Programme in 1993 until 2003, 21 080 learners and
1 376 teachers, representing 351 schools, have
taken part in Grain SA’s Schools Programme.
Since then the programme has grown to the
extent that 145 274 learners from 863 schools
were reached just in 2014.
The Schools Programme currently reaches
more than 50 schools and 50 000 learners
per term.