SA farmers: Hot property

Pretoria - While the Zimbabwean government is countenancing renewed intimidation of the country's few remaining farmers, more and more African countries are wooing South Africa's commercial agriculturist to come to their countries to produce food.

Deon Theron, president of Zimbabwe's Commercial Farmers Union, told the audience at the annual Agricultural Outlook Conference that the pressure exerted on Zimbabwean farmers over the past six weeks has been the worst to date.

He said the Protection Agreement between the governments of South Africa and Zimbabwe, which would make investments in Zimbabwe more attractive to South Africans, is still unsigned because of the Zimbabwean government's refusal to guarantee property rights for agricultural land - which is a South African condition.

While farmers and their workers are again being hounded off their farms, the country is begging for food.

Theo de Jager, deputy president of Agri SA, told the conference that there is a constant stream of enquiries from African countries wanting to know if South African farmers can help them with their food production - just as there was from the Congo earlier this year.

He said the most recent request has come from Libya, where huge agricultural projects are being privatised. This country has, like many others, rejected agricultural assistance from the Chinese and others in favour of South African farmers.

At the organisation's annual congress next week Agri SA will approve a policy dealing with requests for farming assistance.

"At Agri SA we are not in the industry of exporting South African farmers," De Jager declared. "We want to help farmers find opportunities to diversify their activities."

"We are not negative about South Africa; we are positive about Africa."

He said South Africa's farmers are sought-after because of what they produce. A single farmer provides 1 500 people with food - among the highest production in the world.

De Jager says possible settlement of South African farmers is being considered only as an inter-governmental protection agreement.

In cases like that of the Congo, additional issues have been negotiated that make it possible for farmers to farm there.

A contract with the Congo will probably be signed by mid-October, once Agri SA has approved the relevant policy.

De Jager notes that there is excitement in and across Africa about the anticipated developments.

"It's a tide that has to be taken at the flood, or it will engulf us," De Jager declared.

He believes the agricultural invitations can lead to diversified agricultural interests.

Agri SA's database on possible farming in the Congo already boasts the names of about 1 700 interested parties.

- Sake24.com

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