Bien Donné Farm - Agri Promo

Sustainability of Small Farmers
Ismail Motala
Farmer
S
Verskaffer van Kwaliteit Versinkte
Draad en Omheiningsprodukte
mall Farmers are vital for South Africa’s agricultural
and rural economy. The definition
of ‘small farmers’ has been synonymously
linked to the new generation of black farmers that has
emerged since 1994.
Government has over years put in place legislation,
policies and discussion documents regarding the
development of black farmers in the post-Apartheid
South Africa. Academic institutions and civil society
have played a vital role in the development of much of
the discussions and policies pertaining to black farmers
in South Africa.
It is not the policy, as such, but the budgetary, technical
and administrative implementation of the specific
policy that falls short and needs to be adjusted
to generate positive impact for black farmers. Policy
BIEN DONNÉ AGRI CAPE WEEK 2012
instruments and institutional arrangements have to
be designed and built in a technically feasible and effective
way for the objective of poverty reduction and
food security to be reached.
Policies and programmes to lessen poverty and food
insecurity and to enhance equity and sustainability of
incomes and livelihoods, should seek to achieve agriculture-led,
broad-based economic development.
This can only be realized when black farmers are empowered
to access the crucial production resources.
These resources are: land, water, energy, funding,
technology, and opportunities to develop the skills
and to access information and fair markets for products
and inputs.
Given the national policies that facilitate access to
such resources, there would be great expectation
that small farmers could and would achieve higher
production and income and that the livelihoods of
small farmer families and rural economies would be
enhanced.
44 www.agrimega.co.za