MIDVAAL. – Local farmers attended the farmer’s engagement forum hosted by Midvaal Local Municipality at the Meyerton Town Hall recently.
“Establishing an agri-tropolis” was the main theme and Midvaal’s Executive Mayor, Councillor Bongani Baloyi, explained an agri-tropolis as an area within which the main activity would be agriculture. In order to achieve the vision of turning Midvaal into an agri-tropolis, the municipality is focussing on the growth and development of smallholder farmers, who should increase their production and employ more people where possible.
Another key theme introduced at the forum is the ‘maximisation of land and resources available.’ Farmers were encouraged to think differently. Midvaal Local Municipality’s media liaison Aaliyah Dangor says, “The municipality plans to assist farmers by providing access to markets, through the development of an agri-processing plant in De Deur. Farmers can then focus on producing the highest quality of produce, with guaranteed markets to purchase their goods.”
The need for mentorship was also discussed – commercial farmers need to assist upcoming farmers where possible through organised channels, and the older generation of farmers need to pass on their skills to young people, so that farms can be sustained and developed in the future. The municipality will use the details of the farmers in attendance to build a database, and to establish close ties with the sector, in order to ensure that the vision of the agri-troplis is realised in Midvaal.
