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June 2024
In his Chairperson's report, Derek Mathews, in conjunction with the Grain SA Management Team, gave an overview of the year 2023. This overview of the past grain production year clearly illustrated the pressure on farming margins.
While a high international demand for grains and oilseeds led to increased market prices, input prices reached record highs. Similarly, climatic conditions caused both gains and losses. The summer rainfall areas experienced a fairly wet season and although some parts were waterlogged, it was still an excellent year for crops like soybeans, with record yields and a record harvest.
Changed circumstances in the last 20 years, the active free market and international competition have forced Grain SA to review its founding documentation to ensure the organisation remains the mouthpiece of the grain farmer, geared for future adaptability. This action led to approval for the way forward of a Group of Entities, with Grain SA as a non-profit organisation, a private company, a development entity and a trust.
Grain SA’s fresh, new brand identity was successfully launched across communication platforms. The core of the new look was also extended to the different entities, confirming the collective nature of the organisation.
With specialised requirements and the high cost of research projects, Grain SA has joined hands with several private and government partners. The focus is still on identifying needs, obtaining funds and facilitating research to turn it into the best resources in the industry.
Mathews further emphasised that research projects undertaken by farmers at ground level are another important factor for sustainability, which also includes developing farmers. Climate change is almost certainly the biggest challenge experienced – not just in the last season, but over the last few seasons, where extremely erratic conditions prevailed that really affected outputs. As an experienced development entity within the Grain SA group, Phahama Grain Phakama shared information on techniques to counter a constantly changing environment. Despite challenges, this led to amazing breakthroughs.
The chairperson's, report emphasised the resilience of farmers who try again and again, and it is those farmers who emerge victorious. This persistence was recognised at Grain SA’s Day of Celebration, the Grow for Gold competition and the Grain Producer of the Year events, with perseverance triumphing once again in 2023.
Mathews concluded that Grain SA will continue to grow and adapt – and above all, continue to make plans to keep farmers sustainable.
– Article written by Valerie Cilliers, editor of SA Graan/Grain.
Grain SA’s chairperson, Derek Mathews, delivering the chairman’s report at the 2024 Congress.
The drought and severe heat have made this a very difficult season for Sello Mavundla (second from the left). With him are Jacques Roux, regional development manager in the Eastern Free State, and representatives of the Standard Bank Project during a farm visit.
Although this farmer in the Dundee region wasn’t one of the farmers who suffered crop losses due to heat and drought, he is battling with poachers entering the property and stealing the maize.
Mathew Mlotshwa, a farmer in the Louwsburg area, checking the soil content of his soybean crop during a visit from mentor Timon Filter. Apart from one field, all the fields were ready to be harvested.
The Mthethwa’s from the Dundee region are part of the Kgodiso Project. During a farm visit, mentor Chris de Jager reported that the maize crop was looking very good. The farm received good rains in March, but with the days getting shorter and cooler, the crop maturity was slowing down.
The Phahama Grain Phakama (PGP) regional development managers and mentors visited 55 advanced and project farmers between 20 March and 16 April. Apart from giving advice, one of the most important aspects of farm visits is to encourage the farmers to persevere despite challenges.
To achieve the same goal, study group visits (which are subsistence farmer orientated) also took place. The aim of these meetings, which were held at the beginning of April, was to collect the new year’s membership fees and update the active members on the database, as well as discuss the coming season’s Beyond Abundance Project.
In the Louwsburg area eleven farm visits occurred. Mentor Timon Filter reminded farmers to follow up on processes to prevent wasting time – for example, when parts are ordered to fix a tractor or to keep in touch with the harvesting contractor to make sure he arrives at the right time.
On the farm of Mlotshwa Mathews Mfanimpela (a SACTA project participant) in the Louwsburg area, the soybeans on one field is basically ready, while the other field needs about two more weeks. Timing is everythingand he is determined to get it spot-on this season.
Eric Wiggil (regional development manager) visited four farms in the Kokstad area. On Nomlala Siyabonga’s farm the maize is drying nicely. The 66/66BR short season cultivar has done well to pull through this dry spell.
At the Salubinza Study Group in Mpumalanga, the renewal of membership was on the table. Arrangements were also made for a visit by students from the Netherlands later in April. The students want to find out more about the challenges and success stories of smallholder farmers in South Africa.
In the period from 20 March to 12 April twelve training courses were presented in the Western Free State,
Mbombela, Louwsburg, Dundee, Lichtenburg, Maclear and Kokstad. Of the 109 farmers who attended the training, a total of 101 were found competent after being evaluated and observed.
The courses presented were:
Paul Wiggill presented a one-day course on planter and boom-sprayer calibration at Gadalene Farm near Kokstad in the Eastern Cape. The attendees said the information was clear and workable formulas were given in the field.
Lani Kruger presented an introduction to grain marketing course at the Machadodorp Library in Mpumalanga. These attendees found the course insightful and are looking forward to using their new-found knowledge.
Publication: June 2024
Section: Pula/Imvula
