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Maart 2018
12
‘
Bringing light into darkness
’
‘W
e cannot build our own future, without helping
others to build theirs.’ This statement by Bill Clinton,
the 42
nd
president of the United States of America,
is an accurate summary of the success of Grain SA’s
Mentorship Programme.
Although the initial goal of the programme was to ask experi-
enced producers to share their expertise and skills with developing
farmers, the unintended consequence has been nation-building,
says Ms Jane McPherson, manager: Farmer Development Pro-
gramme, Grain SA.
During a recent visit to the Kokstad, Dundee and Ermelo areas,
she asked the mentors to supply reasons why the programme should
continue. According to McPherson the answers these committed
advisors shared about the impact this remarkable programme has
had in their lives, left her speechless.
Although a single act may not make a huge difference in the world,
it creates a ripple effect which can touch many lives. The mentors
who have been involved in Grain SA’s Mentorship Programme have
all experienced first-hand the ripple effect of helping others.
What none of them initially expected, was that their commitment to
assist emerging farmers to become better farmers, would ultimately
have a huge influence in their own lives.
A life-changing and enriching experience
Mentorship has changed the way some of the producers look at
farming. When confronted by the challenges the less fortunate are
facing your focus shifts, from feeling overwhelmed by what is envel-
oping your own life to one of gratitude.
Most of the mentors stand amazed at what the developing farmers
achieve with the bare minimum. It makes them realise how privi-
leged they are. One of the mentors shared the following: ‘Farming
for myself is organised. I can get up and just do it. I don’t know how
these farmers get things done in these challenging circumstances.
Very few people recognise the level of poverty that exists here.’
A mentor in Mpumalanga said that one of the older farmers in his
group has to walk 400 m to fetch 20 litres of water which is then
carried back to the field where it is mixed. He then uses a knapsack
sprayer to spray his 4 ha. Another farmer sat on a rock every day
with a dish in front of him for nearly a month cleaning his 5 tons of
maize to ensure a higher grade. ‘To see an elderly woman standing
with her head lower than her knees to clean her maize, is moving,’
and he added, ‘I wonder if I would have carried on farming if I had to
work like they do.’
Like so many others, Mr Soois Scheepers (Amsterdam region) be-
came despondent about the situation in the country. Witnessing the
hardships some of the farmers are faced with and their dedication
to improving their farming practices, has been an inspiration to him.
By focusing on helping others, his outlook on South Africa has been
changed, Scheepers said in an interview.
For Mr Christiaan Bouwer (Bothaville) his involvement in the
programme was a life-saver during the drought. By redirecting his
energy and focus on helping a fellow farmer build up his farming
GRAIN SA
LOUISE KUNZ,
SA Graan/Grain
editorial team
Mentorship