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November 2016
14
Developing farmers reap the benefits
of Grain SA’s programme
T
he Scottish novelist Robert Louis Stevenson said, ‘Do not
judge a day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you
plant.’ Commercial producers who are involved in Grain SA’s
Farmer Development Programme may not have had a har-
vest to reap the past season as a result of the drought, but at the
Day of Celebration it was clear to see that the seeds of knowledge
planted under their mentorship have had an enormous impact in
the area of farmer development.
On 22 September this year more than 250 guests including
government representatives, agricultural stakeholders and approx-
imately 160 emerging grain farmers attended the Day of Celebra-
tion in Bloemfontein. The category sponsors were represented by
Mr Antois van der Westhuizen (managing director: John Deere
Financial sub-Saharan Africa), Dr Langa Simela (Absa AgriBusiness),
Mr Antonie Delport (Syngenta) and Ms Clara Mohashoa (Monsanto).
All nominees had shown growth in their farming operations
through input from the Farmer Development Programme and their
hard work was acknowledged at the event. This programme proves
that increased knowledge on weed control, soil health and seed se-
lection can have a dramatic impact on farming operations. All nine
finalists mentioned how important the input from this programme
had been in achieving success. Grain SA is very grateful to the
sponsors who make this programme possible: The Maize Trust,
Winter Cereal Trust, the SorghumTrust, OPOT, AgriSETA and Pioneer.
The 2016 winners
The 2016 Grain SA/Absa Subsistence Farmer of the Year is
Mr Mzwayi David Zuma (66) from Estcourt in KwaZulu-Natal. Zuma
and his wife, Goodness, work as a team and despite the late rain
harvested 22 tons of maize from 8 ha which they planted by hand.
GRAAN SA
Fotokompetisie
IN SA
Day of Celebration
LOUISE KUNZ,
SA Graan/Grain
contributor
1: The three finalists in the category 2016 Grain SA/Absa/John Deere Financial New Era Commercial Farmer of the Year are Frans Mokoena
(Tweespruit in the Free State), Zondiwe Motshwene (Emalahleni in Mpumalanga, who was represented by his son, Karabo) and Maseli Letuka (Kestell
in the Free State). At the back are Antois van der Westhuizen and Jannie de Villiers.
2: The 2016 finalists for Grain SA/Syngenta Smallholder of the Year are Sizwe Ngwenya (Piet Retief, winner), Thembelihle Tobo (Kokstad) and
Hamu Shuwisa (Louwsburg).
3: Isaac Hlatshwayo (Nelspruit), Delisile Nkosi (Louwsburg) and Mzwayi Zuma (Estcourt, winner) are the finalists for 2016’s Grain SA/Absa
Subsistence Farmer of the Year.
4: Three farmers have increased their yield and are now proud members of the 1 500 Ton Club: Jeremia Mthebula, Lucky Khumalo and Job Dube.
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