Organised Agriculture

Introduction

Farmers may voluntarily be part of organised agricultural structures through local farmers’ associations and/or through commodity organisations.

At grassroots level, commercial farmers are members of their local farmers’ associations, through which they address local agricultural issues and liaise with officials and organisations on matters concerning their members. The farmers’ associations delegate members to represent them in their respective provincial agricultural unions. The provincial agricultural unions address matters affecting farmers in the province as a whole and liaise with higher organisations. The provincial agricultural unions in turn delegate members to represent them on national bodies.

Included in the category of Organised Agriculture are the commodity organisations which serve and represent farmers producing a specific commodity, e.g. maize, beef, cotton etc. Find contact details of these at www.agrisa.co.za (if you are a member) and in the relevant crop or livestock chapters.

Source: Agri SA (adapted)

International associations involved
National associations involved
Websites and publications

International associations involved

• World Farmers’ Organisation – www.wfo-oma.com Dr Theo De Jager from South Africa is currently (2020) serving a second term as elected president.
• Cairns Group Farm Leaders – www.cairnsgroupfarmers.org
• La Via Campesina – http://viacampesina.org
• Find out about the most recent events in the region on the website of the Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU) at www.sacau.org, as well as contact information for the organised agriculture bodies in the SADC region.
• Farmers are represented in the rest of Africa through Plateforme Régionale des Organisations Paysannes d’Afrique Centrale (PROPAC) from Central Africa, the Eastern Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF), the Réseau des Organisations Paysannes et des Producteurs Agricoles d’Afrique de l’Ouest (ROPPA) in Western Africa, and the Union Magrébine des Agriculteurs (UMAGRI) in northern Africa. Visit http://infopropac.org, http://eaffu.org, and www.roppa-afrique.org for more information.
• A continental organisation for Africa is called the Pan-African Farmers Forum (PAFFO). PAFFO is made up from representatives from SACAU, PROPAC, EAFF, ROPPA and UMAGRI. See http://pafo-africa.org.

National associations involved

African Farmers Association of South Africa (AFASA)

• Tel: 012 492 1383
• http://afasa.org.za

To have competent and successful commercial African farmers of South Africa

 Mission

To facilitate the development of African farmers in order to increase their meaningful participation in the agricultural sector

 Strategic Objectives

To create a sustainable united body of African farmers with capacity to influence policies through lobbying and advocacy in favour of African farmers.

• To facilitate development of competencies of African farmers in order for them to participate meaningfully in formal and informal markets.
• To mobilise resources for the benefit of African farmers.

Values

AFASA like any other organisation, is a collection of individuals who come together for a common purpose. It is therefore crucial that AFASA espouses what it stands for in order to attract those similar values.

AFASA commits itself to the following values.

• To be led by people of high integrity in order to create trust, loyalty and confidence amongst its members employees and the public.
• To be transparent and accountable at all times
• To maintain high levels of professionalism at all times
• To respect the rights, culture and dignity of its members, employees and the public regardless of gender, race, class, tribe, political and religious affiliation or belief.
• To be a farmer centred organisation.
• To ensure that the organisation remains true to its mission and objectives.
• To strive for excellence including efficient and effective service provision at all levels.

Agri SA

• Tel: 012 643 3400
• www.agrisa.co.za

A farmer owned organisation.

Vision

Unity about Agriculture

Mission

Agri SA promotes the development, profitability, stability and sustainability of primary agriculture in South Africa by means of its involvement and input on antional and international policy and the implementation thereof.

About us

Agri SA, a federation of agricultural organisations, was established in 1904 as the South African Agricultural Union and consists of nine provincial and 24 commodity organisations. Essentially Agri SA, through its affiliated membership, represents a diverse grouping of individual farmers regardless of gender, colour or creed.

Agri SA’s policy advocacy includes work on trade negotiations, industrial policy, taxation, financing, land reform, labour laws, training, farmer development, environmental affairs, water rights and water pricing, other input-related issues, farm safety, law and order, infrastructure, technology development and transfer, statistical information and local government. Furthermore, the organisation maintains an extensive communication network with its members and other affected communities, organisations and individuals.

Agri SA is a member of high-level business, trade and agricultural entities including Business Unity South Africa (BUSA), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO), the Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU) and the Cairns Group Farm Leaders.

Agri SA communicates with its members via its two-monthly magazine, namely Agri (incorporating Die Boer/The Farmer) and an electronic newsletter. It is also responsible for programme content for an agricultural radio programme aired on RSG.

Agri SA is committed to the development of agriculture in South Africa. We are a non-profit organisation that is helping to develop a stable, profitable agricultural environment within this country. Our new website is fully mobile-responsive. Stay tuned to our web portal and our social feeds as we usher agriculture firmly into a digital age.

Source: www.agrisa.co.za

Affiliated Provincial Affiliations:

• Agri Eastern Cape Tel: 041 363 1890 www.agriec.co.za
• Free State Agriculture Tel: 051 444 4609 http://vrystaatlandbou.co.za
• Agri Gauteng Tel: 012 643 3400 https://agrigauteng.com
• Kwanalu (KwaZulu-Natal) Tel: 033 342 9393 www.kwanalu.co.za
• Agri Limpopo Tel: 015 590 1024 www.agrilimpopo.co.za
• Mpumalanga Landbou/Agriculture Tel: 017 819 1295 www.mpumalangalandbou.co.za
• Agri North West Tel: 018 632 2987 www.agrinw.co.za
• Agri Northern Cape Tel: 053 832 9595 www.agrink.co.za
• Agri Wes-Cape Tel: 021 860 3800 www.growinggreatness.co.za

Many of the commodity organisations listed in the livestock, agronomy and horticulture chapters are affiliated to Agri SA.

TAU SA

• Tel: 012 804 8031
• www.tlu.co.za

An organised national agricultural organisation for the commercial farmers of South Africa

About us

The union has its origins as the former Transvaal Agricultural Union (TAU), which was established in 1897. It broke away from the South African Agricultural Union (SALU – now Agri SA) and in 2000 decided to extend its service area to include the whole of South Africa. With this decision, the named changed to TAU SA.

The objectives of TAU SA may be summarised as: To organise members of TAU SA in a united front for the benefit of commercial agriculture as a profession and the preservation of that cultural way of life.

Functions of TAU SA

Issues of importance to the agricultural community as a whole are in the hands of several committees, namely: Labour Affairs, Property Rights, Safety and Security, Energy, Conservation, Economic Affairs, Communication, Water Affairs, Education & Culture Affairs and Other.  These committees function in a co-ordinate way to discuss problems and matters arising.  Thereafter the necessary research and/or negotiation is done with feedback through the structure to individual members.

Several agricultural businesses and producer organisations unions are affiliated to TAU SA. Contact details of rregional representatives can be found on the TAU SA website.

Communication

Two-way communication through the structure to and from head office on communication mediums:

• Web pages – www.tlu.co.za Info regarding the services rendered by TAU SA as well as update press releases and international bulletins regarding relevant agricultural matters.
• TAU SA International Bulletins. A bi-monthly bulletin in English with facts regarding the situation in SA with its effects on agriculture and the economy. This bulletin is being sent via e-mail to several contacts abroad.
• TAU SA “Pitkos”. Every second week a “Pitkos” is sent to all members with e-mail in order to keep members updated regarding all activities of the organisation.
• TAU SA news. Advertisements/articles are placed in the different agricultural publications when regarded necessary.
• Radio Pretoria – “Protection of property rights”. 40 Minutes of airtime every second Tuesday with information regarding warnings on legislation, results and advice on agricultural matters.
• Weekly participation in programmes on community radio stations, Overvaal Stereo (Monday) and Radio Laeveld (Thursday).
• Media. Press releases and agricultural related articles are sent to newspapers, agriculture publications, radio and TV.
• Structure. Electronic communication is being promoted and is successfully in use.

Funding

Funding of TAU SA is mainly through membership fees, sponsorship by agricultural businesses as well as the successful managing of various funding projects to the advantage of members.

OTHERS

Websites and publications

Visit the websites listed earlier in this chapter.

• Find the 2005 inventory and SWOT analysis of farmer organisations in the SADC region done by the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN) at www.fanrpan.org/documents/d00049/Inventory_and_SWOT_analysis.pdf
• Specialist Writer. 2019. “Nuwe landbou-organisasie in landbou” [new organisation in agriculture]. ProAgri. Available at www.proagri.co.za/en/nuwe-landbou-organisasie-in-landbou/

Information for this chapter was supplied by the agricultural unions and/or their websites.