South Africa’s food security might come under threat in future if government does not make farming more attractive to potential young farmers.
According to estimates released to the media by AgriSA last year, the farming population was ageing and now averaged 62 compared to 55 for the United States.
The South African Canegrowers Association’s North Coast area manager, Brendon Nothard agrees that many farmers are nearing retirement age and not enough younger farmers are coming through even though there were some very successful young farmers in his area.
He said food security is linked to what we can produce for ourselves and said one of the biggest obstacles to young farmers entering the sector is a lack of access to capital.
“To purchase a farm one needs access to 40 to 50 percent of the required capital for purchase simply as a deposit – a commercial sugar cane farm could easily cost more than R10 million,” said Nothard.
Most commercial farmers, particularly second or third generation farmers, often begin farming at a young age and gain upwards of 10 years’ experience before taking on full management responsibilities of the farm.
Although the average age of land reform beneficiaries in the sugar industry is 54 (eight years younger than the greater farming population), they only have on average 14 years farming experience with most of them having started farming at 40.
“Research indicates that experience has a dominant impact on a farmer’s success, even more so than education,” said Nothard.
If the cost of food production in South Africa increases and it becomes cheaper to import food, the government may have to implement additional policies to protect farmers. Food prices may also increase if South Africa can no longer produce enough food to feed its own people.
“Other countries sell (export) food for profit and if South Africa became reliant on food importation and we have to depend on whoever is willing to sell to us, food prices may see wide price fluctuations,” he said.
In his experience, many farmers’ children today are choosing careers other than farming, because it cannot promise security. He said farming could be made attractive to young people through initiatives that improve profitability and stability.
When farmers sell their farms to new entrants, valuable experience and efficiency is lost. Government support for farmers and policies that ensure adequate returns would increase profitability, while improving political stability and safety for farmers.
South Africa’s food security is further challenged by our continually expanding population rendering land increasingly scarce.
“Government will have to play a role in safeguarding our food security,” said Nothard.
He said there was a vast difference between subsistence and commercial farming and a huge requirement for mentorship programs to ensure new farmers gain the skills to farm efficiently.
