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23
April 2017
The Director-General is apparently a man who prefers to look for
solutions. He is convinced that it is organisations like Grain SA
and producers themselves who will make transformation work – if
they can unify and develop a common vision, common values and
common goals.
Unity and a single-minded voice from producers, who all face the
same problems, will make the difference when it speaks about
challenges. Also, it is only when the sector maps its own road
ahead and owns the successes and the failures that transforma-
tion will progress successfully. There has been too much pushing of
projects and programmes that are irrelevant to the sector.
He assured Congress this is changed, ‘I want to assure you that
you are all South Africans in my book. You all have to contribute
to the development and evolution of the agricultural strategy. No
more should I sit in my office and plan for you, without you.’
The danger about a lack of unity is, it creates opportunity for apart-
heid to be blamed repeatedly for failed land reform, and it allows
incorrect perceptions about producers to prevail. So Mlengana
also requested the sector to allow the good news to surface more,
asserting it’s time to end the negative perceptions.
He recognised the contributions made by producers to villages,
schools and their communities, ‘You guys have done some funda-
mental good things but you fail to highlight them and show govern-
ment you are a partner in transformation,’ he said.
Mlengana believes a strengthened value chain will strengthen
the sector. He blamed the lack of integration for allowing ‘forces
from outside’ to create policy. He encourages producers and their
organisations to work together to create structures that allow for
partnerships. He assured Congress that future recapitalisation pro-
grammes will depend on partnerships between commercial produc-
ers and black producers and future monies will be invested where
there are returns.
Mlengana clearly ‘feels’ the tragedy of failed reform and is deep-
ly distressed by the sight of once productive farms now lying
fallow, ‘When you look at them you feel like hiding yourself.’ He is
determined that continued focus on recapitalisation will see a shift
to enterprise productivity and he will only consider ‘bankable busi-
ness plans’.
He requested that the sector adopts a proactive approach to trans-
formation. He believes that smallholders need the commercial
producers, but producers also need the smallholders, because
government policy will be more favourable in the arenas where
these partnerships exist.
Transformation is not only training, but equalising; it is unifica-
tion and mutual acceptance. He assured of a more considered selec-
tion process for land beneficiaries: Farms will not be given or sold
randomly and ‘non-farmers’ will be eliminated. A producer is born
with a passion to farm – no education replaces this.
Mlengana highlighted government’s Vision 2030 (National Develop-
ment Plan) which aims to boost agricultural output and create up to
1 million jobs. The New Growth Path targets opportunities for
300 000 smallholders plus 145 000 jobs in agro-processing by
2020. Mlengana intends to see increased expertise within relevant
departments and greater accessibility, ‘My office is open to you,
bring ideas.’
No strategies should be developed at local level without the in-
volvement of agricultural sector stakeholders. His ideal is to have
business plans in place which talk to government objectives and are
measurable and inclusive.
Agriculture needs to contribute to the economy. To this end there
is a fresh focus on building trade relations with countries like
China, India, Singapore, Vietnam and other African countries, seek-
ing out markets and growing expertise.
He also assured delegates that his department aims to partner
with producers towards realising potential, increasing food secu-
rity and further empowering smallholder farmers towards full com-
mercial status. He has requested Minister Zokwane to give urgent
attention to the issue of land ownership which is presently creat-
ing instability and he encouraged producers not to be afraid and to
trust the Constitution.
In his response to Mlengana, Grain SA Chairperson Mr Jaco Minnaar
expressed appreciation for the open door policy and recognition
that producers need to be included in policy planning. He added
that this same attitude is not the case in some departments below
him. Agriculture can contribute significantly to the economy, but
we need support through stable policy to do so – and to fast-track
transformation in the sector.
During his speech he assured producers that ‘…you are all South Africans in my book. You all have
to contribute to the development and evolution of the agricultural strategy. No more should I sit in
my office and plan for you, without you.’