In what has been defined as the demise of the African Farmers Association of South Africa (Afasa), a new agricultural organisation has wasted no time calling for sweeping changes in the agricultural economy.
The Black Agricultural Commodities Federation (BACF), which was conceived following its unceremonious departure from Afasa in October, unleashed a programme of action during its official launch on Monday.
Six affiliates had walked out of the Afasa elective conference in Durban, arguing among other things that the organisation’s leadership is resisting change and that the commodities are being blocked from occupying seats in the national executive committee, the orgnaisation’s highest decision-making body.
But what broke the camel’s back was the bitter showdown over the proposed amendments to Afasa’s constitution. The commodities combined provided key financial muscle for the functioning of Afasa.
On Monday, the grouping lamented that although the agricultural sector has grown eightfold to become a R150-billion industry, the black farmers remain in the peripheries of the agricultural value chain.
“We are almost 30 years into the democratic dispensation, but we have little to show when it comes to black ownership of the agricultural economy,” said Dr Ismail Motala, one of the founding members of the federation.
“We must change certain legislations that are not in favour of black farmers in this country, and we must advocate for land and water needs to reside in the hands of black people.”
Motala also called for the 20% of levies meant for transforming the agricultural sector to be channeled directly to the federation to accelerate the transformation agenda.
Mike Gcabo, the federation’s deputy chairperson, echoed Motala’s sentiments, saying the organisation wants to contribute to new agricultural research and thought leadership.
Gcabo explained: “For too long black commodities and black farmers have treated themselves and have been treated by the government and other role players as sheer beneficiaries. We want to take a different route, we want to be able to provide contributions towards the research agenda.
“This will help solve real-life problems facing farming communities and commodities.”
The commodities which form part of BACF are the African Poultry Producers, African Game Ranchers Association of South Africa, Deciduous Fruit Development Chamber of South Africa, National Emergent Red Meat Producer Organisation, Livestock Wealth, South African Farmers Development Agency, and the South African Grain Farmers Association.
The new formation, calling itself the true voice of black farmers, has roped in respected farmers and academics in the agricultural space. They include Motala, who was the leader of Afasa’s Western Cape wing and Dr Siyabonga Madlala, affectionately known as the “Bulldozer” in the agricultural fraternity.
Lindiwe Hlubi, a small-scale sugarcane farmer from eShowe, northern KwaZulu-Natal was elected national chairperson of the federation.
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