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Johannesburg – The government must be careful not to set up black farmers for failure by simply giving them redistributed land without any means of support as that threatens national food security, said the labour-owned Mineworkers Investment Company (MIC).
"It does not help simply putting people on land without any help," said MIC chief executive Paul Nkuna on Thursday.
The government can join hands with the private sector to make it possible for recently resettled farmers to be productive by making resources and training available to them.
"They must be assisted to buy capital equipment like tractors, and the private sector can enter into agreements to buy their produce," said Nkuna.
The MIC owns two farms in Mpumalanga, in which it runs community garden projects.
"Those farms are now profitable and have partnerships with established food retailers who buy their produce," said Nkuna.
Pick n Pay partnership
Another community garden land totalling 49 hectares is under the MIC's control in the Kokstad area of KwaZulu-Natal.
Nkuna says Pick n Pay is a partner in the projects and takes up all the food the farms produce.
"That is the kind of help emerging farmers need, giving them access to the market after they have been resettled on land. They need money to buy tractors."
Nkuna said food security was a critical factor that emerging black farmers, with sufficient assistance, can address as commercial farmers were being lured away to other African countries.
The MIC has also resolved to increase its bursary funding for agriculture students through the JB Marks bursary fund.
"Our education system must not only produce job hunters - it must produce people who are employers and entrepreneurs," said Nkuna.
The fund has 394 students, many of whom are in engineering disciplines.
- Fin24.com
"It does not help simply putting people on land without any help," said MIC chief executive Paul Nkuna on Thursday.
The government can join hands with the private sector to make it possible for recently resettled farmers to be productive by making resources and training available to them.
"They must be assisted to buy capital equipment like tractors, and the private sector can enter into agreements to buy their produce," said Nkuna.
The MIC owns two farms in Mpumalanga, in which it runs community garden projects.
"Those farms are now profitable and have partnerships with established food retailers who buy their produce," said Nkuna.
Pick n Pay partnership
Another community garden land totalling 49 hectares is under the MIC's control in the Kokstad area of KwaZulu-Natal.
Nkuna says Pick n Pay is a partner in the projects and takes up all the food the farms produce.
"That is the kind of help emerging farmers need, giving them access to the market after they have been resettled on land. They need money to buy tractors."
Nkuna said food security was a critical factor that emerging black farmers, with sufficient assistance, can address as commercial farmers were being lured away to other African countries.
The MIC has also resolved to increase its bursary funding for agriculture students through the JB Marks bursary fund.
"Our education system must not only produce job hunters - it must produce people who are employers and entrepreneurs," said Nkuna.
The fund has 394 students, many of whom are in engineering disciplines.
- Fin24.com
