Farm murders and farm attacks have become a trending topic in South Africa with the media and social media abuzz. In response to a video of a devastated farmer’s plea for support from the general public, we have been urged to wear black to show our support for the farmers in our country.
This follows the brutal attack of a farmer in the Western Cape. It so happens that this farmer and his family are a part of one of my friend’s family circles. This is close to home. It’s been a week and I cannot even begin to think of the trauma and devastation that this family has had to endure since the sudden and unnecessary death of a loved man, husband, father, friend and farmer.
Emotions are running high, many have thrown on their black attire, yet we all know that wearing black is not the answer to this ongoing devastation.
Some loathe the fact that the death of 4 farmers in one week is getting so much attention when thousands of people are brutally killed and murdered every day, and it is business as usual. This is true, murder is murder, and we should not label one more important than the other, we should not differentiate; but allow me to differentiate today.
“…nearly everything you ate or drank today, apart from water, was produced by farmers.” – Dr P Groenewald.
Think about that for the moment.
You see the thing with farmers and farm workers is that they work with the land. Unlike you and me who sit in an office every day. Farm employment is the most important source of work in rural areas. According to Dr Pieter Groenewald the agricultural sector contributes 6,9% to the country’s GDP, and provides work to approximately one million people. News 24 reported days ago that “34 000 South African farmers were suffering the effects of drought, natural disasters and policy uncertainty, while also trying to protect their lives and produce food for 55 million South Africans.” This in effect means that one farmer on average produces food for an estimated 1 620 people.
Farmers Weekly reported that the agriculture sector created 876 000 jobs in the first quarter of 2016. I could not find any statistics about the average workforce employed by one farmer but let’s assume the average farmer employs 50 farm workers; this means that one farmer ensures food on the table for 50 families in their immediate communities alone. Conservatively speaking, if one family has 3 dependants, one farmer feeds 150 people over and above the food produced to sustain 1 620 people across South Africa. Farmers do not only make a huge contribution to the South African economy but also to the community they operate in and they have a significant impact on the lives of the families of each farm worker.
According to figures published by the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI) in 2010, the calculated loss of one farmer is estimated between R3 million and R5 million for the economy. SACCI confirmed that the loss of one farmer can be far greater considering factors like the size of the farming operation, the amount of people working on the farm and whether or not the person that inherits the farm can keep things going. SACCI calculated that if a farm has been completely lost due to the murder of a farmer, it will cost the economy R1, 932 869 per affected farm/farms. If production on the farm will only be affected for a period of time, the loss can be R161 072 per farm per month. EWN reports that AfriForum has confirmed that of the 341 farm attacks reported since 1 January, 71 were fatal. Do the numbers… This is a national emergency.
Suffice to say that the death of each and every farmer goes way beyond a crime statistic and a number. The loss of one farmer is devastating to our economy and even more devastating to their families, their workforce and the families of each and every farm worker.
Death by statistics and numbers I know, but my point here is that the deaths of farmers should be labelled differently, we should differentiate. Farmers are pivotal to the economy; the food value chain starts and ends with them. They are producers. Farmers create jobs. Farmers are employers that face many business risks and from a pure strategic point of view farmers are nothing without their people..their workforce; and conversely their survival is critical to our survival and the survival of our children’s children. Farmers are producers. Farmers should be celebrated. Farmers should be protected.
Directly or indirectly most of us know a farmer somewhere or have farmers in our circles. They are valuable, they make a difference and they are never celebrated enough! Let’s support them by helping to find a solution.
“It is not permissible for us to go on destroying the family life when we know that we are destroying it.” ― Alan Paton, Cry, The Beloved Country
While wearing black is not the solution. Let it at least be the start of a rallying cry where we begin to show those guilty of these heinous crimes that we will not go gently into the night! We will take a stand for those who sacrifice for us daily. We will take back our country from the brink of criminal collapse and stand together!
Farm murders and farm attacks have become a trending topic in South Africa with the media and social media abuzz. In response to a video of a devastated farmer’s plea for support from the general public, we have been urged to wear black to show our support for the farmers in our country.
This follows the brutal attack of a farmer in the Western Cape. It so happens that this farmer and his family are a part of one of my friend’s family circles. This is close to home. It’s been a week and I cannot even begin to think of the trauma and devastation that this family has had to endure since the sudden and unnecessary death of a loved man, husband, father, friend and farmer.
Emotions are running high, many have thrown on their black attire, yet we all know that wearing black is not the answer to this ongoing devastation.
Some loathe the fact that the death of 4 farmers in one week is getting so much attention when thousands of people are brutally killed and murdered every day, and it is business as usual. This is true, murder is murder, and we should not label one more important than the other, we should not differentiate; but allow me to differentiate today.
Think about that for the moment.
You see the thing with farmers and farm workers is that they work with the land. Unlike you and me who sit in an office every day. Farm employment is the most important source of work in rural areas. According to Dr Pieter Groenewald the agricultural sector contributes 6,9% to the country’s GDP, and provides work to approximately one million people. News 24 reported days ago that “34 000 South African farmers were suffering the effects of drought, natural disasters and policy uncertainty, while also trying to protect their lives and produce food for 55 million South Africans.” This in effect means that one farmer on average produces food for an estimated 1 620 people.
Farmers Weekly reported that the agriculture sector created 876 000 jobs in the first quarter of 2016. I could not find any statistics about the average workforce employed by one farmer but let’s assume the average farmer employs 50 farm workers; this means that one farmer ensures food on the table for 50 families in their immediate communities alone. Conservatively speaking, if one family has 3 dependants, one farmer feeds 150 people over and above the food produced to sustain 1 620 people across South Africa. Farmers do not only make a huge contribution to the South African economy but also to the community they operate in and they have a significant impact on the lives of the families of each farm worker.
According to figures published by the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI) in 2010, the calculated loss of one farmer is estimated between R3 million and R5 million for the economy. SACCI confirmed that the loss of one farmer can be far greater considering factors like the size of the farming operation, the amount of people working on the farm and whether or not the person that inherits the farm can keep things going. SACCI calculated that if a farm has been completely lost due to the murder of a farmer, it will cost the economy R1, 932 869 per affected farm/farms. If production on the farm will only be affected for a period of time, the loss can be R161 072 per farm per month. EWN reports that AfriForum has confirmed that of the 341 farm attacks reported since 1 January, 71 were fatal. Do the numbers… This is a national emergency.
Suffice to say that the death of each and every farmer goes way beyond a crime statistic and a number. The loss of one farmer is devastating to our economy and even more devastating to their families, their workforce and the families of each and every farm worker.
Death by statistics and numbers I know, but my point here is that the deaths of farmers should be labelled differently, we should differentiate. Farmers are pivotal to the economy; the food value chain starts and ends with them. They are producers. Farmers create jobs. Farmers are employers that face many business risks and from a pure strategic point of view farmers are nothing without their people..their workforce; and conversely their survival is critical to our survival and the survival of our children’s children. Farmers are producers. Farmers should be celebrated. Farmers should be protected.
Directly or indirectly most of us know a farmer somewhere or have farmers in our circles. They are valuable, they make a difference and they are never celebrated enough! Let’s support them by helping to find a solution.
While wearing black is not the solution. Let it at least be the start of a rallying cry where we begin to show those guilty of these heinous crimes that we will not go gently into the night! We will take a stand for those who sacrifice for us daily. We will take back our country from the brink of criminal collapse and stand together!
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