Andrew
Word from the market with AMA
Collaboration is critical in advancing collective prosperity and achieving shared goals. At times, a multi-jurisdictional approach is a better way to confront challenges and resolve the common problem at a national level.
The Agricultural Marketing Authority recently hosted the National Agricultural Council of South Africa (NAMC) as part of a broader objective to forge partnerships with regional organisations doing similar work.
The initiative dovetailed with the authority’s thrust to promote collaboration that improve agriculture production, productivity, and profitability.
One of the common challenges especially in the SADC region is subdued market access by smallholder farmers. More often, production by smallholder farmers is not informed by the needs of the market.
By putting the cart before the horse, farmers expose themselves to high chances of earning very little from their produce. However, through regional collaborations, research can be done on how best to assist the farmers to access the market.
Development of programs that speaks to issues like market access, business linkages, product development and coming up with initiatives that enhance the performance of smallholder farmers should be the launch pad.
The next step is to bring resources together to ensure that programs being implemented talk to each other.
The shared objective to promote transformation in agriculture and agro-processing sectors, increase food security and enhance competitiveness and entrepreneurial opportunities is central to the development and success of agriculture in Southern Africa.
The NAMC is already working with the Namibian Agronomic Board in the areas of research, unlocking market and development of smallholder farmers.
Joining hands in the areas of agro-trade research, agro-food chain and smallholder market access can lead to optimisation of export earnings and improve the performance of smallholder farmers.
AMA CEO Mr Clever Isaya told the meeting that the authority was looking at ways of growing volumes of exports and value chains on demand.
‘‘In Zimbabwe, the majority of exports in the agric sector are done by commercial farmers. Smallholder farmers, therefore, need to be equipped with skills so that they can also export increase their earnings and improve their livelihoods.’’
NAMC Senior Economist Mr Ndumiso Mazibuko said the Agribusiness Department within their organisation coordinates production schemes that bring together the government and private sector players to provide inputs and make sure there are enough farmers and markets
“This division also assist farmers in accessing finance and issues of the business plan while working closely with industries that are utilising statutory measures to try to make sure they access resources for black producers in that particular industry”, he said
In Zimbabwe, it is the role of the AMA to monitor adherence to rules and regulations governing the agricultural sector. This is done through various statutory instruments.
In SA, NAMC also has similar statutory measures meant in areas of horticulture and livestock to enhance the competitiveness of the industry.
In South Africa 86 percent of industries are utilising the statutory measures for the levies, registration, records and returns. In addition, one of the conditions when applying for statutory measures is that 20 percent of the income goes into transformation activities.
There is a transformation guideline which ensures that the potion of the income is used to provide inputs and market information to help mainly the black producers.
An example is the records and returns statutory measure which is meant to assist the industry in market intelligence.
Upon subscribing to that measure, every player in the industry must register with the commodity association
Dr Mazibuko said “these (statutory measures) main objective is to fund the research and development and fund export promotion as well as market and product development.
The NAMC team also shared the work done under the Agricultural Trust Division. The NAMC has 13 Trusts and the role of this division is to grow the assets within those trusts.
The Agricultural Trust Division also fund market development, research as well as skills development. It is overseeing assets worth around R2,2 billion.
Word from the market is a weekly column produced by the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA). Feedback [email protected] or [email protected]
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