5
July2014
There is a drought in Pretoria
i
think I am beginning to understand something of being a pro-
ducer when thewind turnswest and the grain plants are only
about knee high with the sun burning from the sky. Shortly
before the election thewind started turningwest inPretoria.
All discussions with the government were either about land
reform or black economic empowerment. The negotiators (on both
sides)werenot open to listening toone another and itwas accepted
that a lot of the pronouncements and dry west winds would turn
into rain showers after the election. My experience is that it is defi-
nitely not the case; in fact the winds are blowing far more strongly
thanbefore.
Thenext four yearsaregoing tobe reallystrenuousyears inPretoria.
Current political goals and the economic realities of agriculture will
be very difficult to reconcile. There are clever people who say that
one does not learn much from leadership when all goes well, but
ratherwhen things go reallybad. Now is such a time.
We need the support of all tomaintain our energy and focus on the
right issues. On television, just the other day, the Minister of Rural
Development and Land Reform already remarked that land issues
havemoved froma race-drivenbasis toa class-drivenbasis. Ifwhite
andblack producers say the same thing togovernment: “We cannot
give away 50%of our farms toour workers for free!” then it ismore
a caseof rich versus poor andnot white versus black.
Whatever the casemay be, there is no way we can separate politi-
cal goals from economic realities. I am asking myself whether the
minister has already discussed his recommendations with his col-
league from theTreasury?
There is noway that South Africa (right in themidst of a recession)
can afford to destroy the agricultural sector. Food security is the
single most important matter that can bring a government to a fall
– literally overnight. I can think about quite a number of people in
parliament licking their lipsat theprospect of adaywhen there isnot
enough food left in thegrain silos.
For me, the question remains: “What should we do now?” To
blame one another and pelt each other with rocks will not help. In
February 2014, Grain SA gathered together a number of leading
producers to ponder whether it might somehow be possible to pull
a rabbit from thehat that could solve the land reformproblem.
Sure, there weremany plans, but the so called silver bullet evaded
us. I cannot but think that the only solution is going to be bad for all
parties. It is two parties, of which the one has all the political power
and theother all theeconomicpower. True leadershipmight prevent
thatwedonot destroyboth in theprocess thereby leaving just abat-
tlefield for our children.
Thissituation takesmeback toadayon thebankof theHartsRiver in
1982. Therewasa floodanda tractorwitha trailer carryinganumber
of farmworkers had been washed away in the flood. This lieuten-
ant and his troops had to patrol the muddy river bank for possible
survivors. The first person we found was caught in a tree halfway
into the river.
Everybody saw it and flocked together at the river’s edge, but no-
body jumped in. Everyone was looking around offering advice, but
nobody did anything until the lieutenant started undressing and
jumped into the river.
The time has come for our new and old agricultural leaders to show
their hands and start addressing thematter for the sakeof the future
for all of us. Let us support them andpray that theymay receive the
wisdom and responsibility to resolve the issues.
DSKOOSKIRSTEN
WOORD
Uit die
i
n die graanbedryf is ons voortdurend besig om na beter
plantmateriaal te soek. Daarmee saam kyk ons ook na beter
bewerkingsmetodes omonswinsgrense te verbeter. As ons dit
nie doen nie, sal ons eenvoudig nie kan oorleef nie en ook nie
in die vraag na voedsel kan voorsien nie. As jy alles gedoen
het wat jy moontlik kan en die reën het op die regte tyd gekom en
die resultaat is nie nawense nie, is die teleurstelling groot en sal ‘n
mens nie weer dieselfde pad loop nie. Jy sal beslis ander saad of
bewerkingsmetodes soek wat beter resultate lewer. In Jes 5:1 - 7
lees ons dat die Here vir Hom ‘n wingerd geplant het. Hy het die
grond omgespit en die klippe verwyder. Hy het ‘n wagtoring in die
wingerd gebou om dit te beskerm. Hy het ook ‘n parskuip uitgekap
en ‘nheiningomdiewingerdgebou sodat diedierenie kan inkomen
die wingerd afwei en vertrap nie. Die belangrikste ding wat Hy ge-
doen het, was om edel wingerdstokke daarin te plant. Soos ‘n goeie
boer het Hy alles goed en reg gedoen en net die beste plantmate-
riaal gebruik. ‘nMens sou verwag dat dit goeie vrugte sou oplewer,
maar dit het wilde vrugte voortgebring. Wat ‘n teleurstelling! Die
wingerd van die Here is die kerk. Nie ‘n spesifieke denominasie
nie, maar al die gelowiges dwars oor die hele wêreld saam. Dink
‘n bietjie na oor hoeveel moeite Hy met ons gedoen het en steeds
doen. Deur die dood en opstanding van Christus het Hy ons uit die
mag en heerskappy van die sonde en dood verlos en bevry. Hy het
die Heilige Gees aan ons gegee om ons te wederbaar en so nuwe
mense van ons te maak. Deur die Woord werk Hy voortdurend in
onsomons te leerwat regengoed is, sodat onsdit sal doen. Hyhet,
om dit so te noem, edel wingerdstokke van ons gemaak. Ons lees
in Joh 15:1 - 6 dat Jesus sê dat sy Vader die Landbouer is, Hy die
Wingerdstok en ons die lote. Die Vader snoei ons skoon en versorg
ons soos ‘n goeie boer dit sou doen, met die verwagting dat ons
goeie vrug sal dra – vrug wat pas by ware gelowiges en waarvan
ons lees in Gal 5:22. Hoe lyk die vrug wat jy in jou lewe dra? Is dit
wat God as die goeie Boer van jou verwag, of is dit wilde druiwe? In
Jes5 leesonsdatdieHere, soosenigegoeieboersoudoen,opgehou
het om sy wingerd te versorg. Hy sal die wolke verbied om daarop
te reën. Die dorings en onkruid sou dit ingeneem het en die wilde
diere sou dit afgewei en vertrap het, omdat dit geen goeie vrugte
gedra het nie. Hy sal dieselfdemet ons doen as ons nie goeie vrug
dra nie. Hy het alles vir jou gedoenwat nodig is sodat jy goeie vrug
kan dra. Span dan nou al jou kragte in om soos ‘n edel wingerdstok
goeie vrug tedra.
Baie geluk aan Elizma
Olivier van Prieska wat
vir die April-uitgawe
van
SA Graan/Grain
die
gratisBybel gewenhet.
