Western Cape announces search the top agri professionals

The Western Cape, one of South Africa's nine provinces, this week officially launched the search for the 2015 Farmworker of the Year. The event is co-sponsored by the Western Cape Department of Agriculture and Shoprite.
 

Winners will be chosen in 11 categories, including best irrigation specialist, agri-processing specialist and technical operator. Over 6000 agriculture employees have entered the competition since 2002. Alan Winde, Minister of Economic Opportunities, said the competition was aimed at honouring excellence in the sector.

“Like we celebrate the heroes of our sportsfields, we need to celebrate the heroes of our economy. Our agri-professionals play a vital role in ensuring that the produce delivered to our shelves, and to outlets across the world, is of a very high standard. They are helping us to grow this sector , and together, we are building a sustainable economic future.”

Jerome Thompson, the 2014 winner, said he has had a busy schedule since he scooped a top prize last year. Thompson beat out stiff competition from more than 1 000 entrants in 15 regions.
Part of his win included a cash prize and an overseas trip. Thompson, a manager at a farm in Kanonkop, will be travelling to France to meet with agri-businesses in the next few months.

“Since I won the competition, residents in my area recognise me and people turn to me for advice. My goal is to start my own business. I also want to make a real difference in my area and would like to start a centre for development,” said Thompson.

This year regional competitions will be held in the following areas:

• Berg River
• Breede Valley
• Horsemanship
• Durbanville
• Elgin, Grabouw, Vyeboom, Villiersdorp
• Franschhoek
• Hexvallei
• Klein Karoo
• Koup (Central Karoo)
• Langeberg
• Olifants River
• Overberg
• Piket-Bo-Berg
• Stellenbosch
• Swartland
• Witzenberg

The first regional winner will be announced at a ceremony in Witzenberg in July. The provincial competition, where the overall winner will be announced, takes place in November.

Labour and agriculture is one of the opening chapters in The Agri Handbook. Find it here.

Rhodes and skelms in Africa

Note for our international readers: "skelm" is a South African word meaning "scoundrel" or "worthless fellow".  

Were you aware that the month of May is "Africa Month"?

Government has been encouraging South Africans to participate in the celebration, which will culminate in Africa Day on 24 May at the Mamelodi Campus of the University of Pretoria. President Jacob Zuma will lead the celebrations under the theme: “We are Africa – Opening the doors of learning and culture from Cape to Cairo”.

A previous figurehead who used the phrase "Cape to Cairo", of course, was Cecil Rhodes who dreamt of a British empire spanning the length of Africa. Lately one would be hard pressed to find a proponent of the erstwhile colonialist and skelm, whose statue at the University of Cape Town was pooed on and became the subject of national invective before being bundled out of sight.

It is easy, with hindsight, to see what was inappropriate and politically incorrect. At the time, Rhodes was feted and had all sorts of honours bestowed on him. Streets and buildings, universities -- even a country (Rhodesia) were named after him. He was regarded as self-made man, hero and so on (unless you were indigenous, black or boer, and had had your land pinched). It makes one wonder what figures of today, currently praised, will be vilified tomorrow. What figures, put down today, will have their star rise -- perhaps after they have gone?

Empires rise and fall, and have done so for as long we have records, and probably before that too. They bring with them legislative frameworks and economic systems. They build roads and other infrastructure and leave us speaking the same language, sometimes literally. They bring a sense of purpose and unity, including for those who oppose the empire. And then the empire is replaced, sometimes by another one. Sometimes its passing is also the passing of the common denominator that held its opponents together and that those who were united now fall out amongst themselves. It can be that what follows the empire is nothing to really write home about, and those left behind mill around, dimly aware that something significant has passed. But we digress.

“The unity of the continent is driven through the African Union’s programmes to attain its vision as articulated in the Agenda 2063.  The continent guided by its citizens will strive for an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa,"says the press release. "The Africa month theme 'We are Africa' is a declaration and celebratory statement of pride, which fosters inclusivity from all role-players and stakeholders".

We need campaigns and programmes like this. We need to know that there is more in common than what separates us. When this is accepted, we can move on to earning a living and putting food on our plates, something we have made a grim enough task for half the people in this country and some 795 million people globally.

Find the chapters on Africa and Food security in The Agri Handbook.

What value do you place on agricultural land?

What do you like about farm life? Most people would mention the sense of space and sky that stand in contrast to the urban living conditions.

The Afrikaans agricultural weekly magazine Landbouweekblad reported last week that the world's largest cattle farm is on the market. Situated in Southern Australia, Anna Creek Station is 23 000 km² (12 427 mi²), the size of South African province KwaZulu-Natal. For anyone who enjoys that feeling of space that farming gives, this one definitely takes the cake!

It made us wonder about the general size and price of agricultural land on the globe, and we found that The Irish Farmers Journal had just done some homework in this regard. Drawing on information from the World Bank, it compared land in countries mostly from the developed world, with two agricultural heavy weights thrown in. The comparisons make for interesting reading.

Look at the names of these countries for a moment: USA, Brazil, Argentina, France, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.

Where do you suppose agricultural land would be the most expensive? The cheapest?

Where would you expect more of the country's land to be given over to agriculture?

Land price ranked reads: UK [€10,840 per acre], Ireland [€9,890 per acre], New Zealand [€9,410 per acre], France [€5,790 per acre], Argentina [€4,000 per acre], USA [€2,600 per acre], Australia [€1,020 per acre], Brazil [€778 per acre].

An acre is just over 0.4 of a hectare. You will have an idea of the average price in your own country (if it isn't listed here), and be able to work out where you would fit on the list.

Land given over to agriculture: UK (71%), Ireland (66%), Australia and France (53%), USA (51%), New Zealand (50%), Argentina (49%), Brazil (33%).

There is a correlation between price and the size of the country. The money you pay for land also depends on its fertility ... and profitability. In the USA, the price of agricultural land varies for the following activities: wine region, €14,900/acre; corn, €8,288/acre; dairy, €4,845/acre; wheat belt, €4,526/acre; cotton, €2,969/acre; sugarcane, €2,370/acre; pastureland, €2,245/acre.

Find a sample of South African prices here. The question of agricultural land value in South Africa is a loaded one. Commercial agriculture has pointed out repeatedly that enough land passes through the market every year for government to have met its land reform target long ago. The problem is: if word got out that government was about to buy land on this scale, the price of agricultural land would go through the roof! And so our land reform progresses slowly, chugging along ...

Let's just hope this was not too high a price!