Sakkie Mosoma, an emerging farmer from Mokutlung Village, 15 kilometres outside the farming town of Orghistad in Sekhukhune District is one of the first beneficiaries of the Barley Emerging farmers economic development project (BE-FED Project).
The unique model in Limpopo Province is in its fourth year across South Africa. It is a public-private partnership between Heineken, Malteries Soufflé (a French firm specialising in malting) the Dutch Government and locally supported by Buhle Farmer’s Academy. The BE-FED project seeks to promote the participation of emerging farmers in the commercial barley production supply chain in South Africa.
Mosoma told Temo News team that he participated in the project after it enticed him in the Limpopo Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (LDARD) organised meeting. Soufflet presented the programme to Sekhukhune and Capricorn farmers.
Soufflet was looking for farmers with a land of 10-20 hectares (ha) under irrigation that could grow the winter crop barley, Mosoma joined the programme as he was already specialising in wheat production. With a 20 ha farm using sprinkler irrigation systems, Sakkie was provided production loan of R 160 000, which is almost 70% of the production cost, training, mentoring, and seeds.
Besides land, irrigation and farming equipment, farmers must demonstrate inputs application knowledge, harvesting and transportation to the silos.
The programme being piloted for the first time in the Province, it was not a smooth sailing for participating farmers. There were challenges like delayed harvest, transport and moisture testing facilities. Nevertheless, due to the technical support provided by LDARD officials, they have managed to harvest the best [quality] grade of barley.
In Sekhukhune, the programme has benefited Lucas Makua in Elias Motsoaledi and Aardwick Community Property Association from Fetakgomo Tubatse. Mosoma says barley production is profitability and viability as there is a guaranteed Market.
“Farmers must ensure the crop is well taken care of i.e. weeding, irrigating on time, proper land preparation and harvesting on time. Like wheat, barley is also not a complex crop to farm with,” indicates Mosoma.
Heineken also offers farmers interest free R1000 per ha insurance production loan. For the first 100km, the farmer pays for transportation cost, whereas beyond 100km, Heineken will pay the difference. At the time of the interview, Mosoma said the price of Barley was 90% the South African Futures Exchange (SAFEX) Price of grade B1 wheat. The price was R4398 per ton.
For 2019 crop, BE-FED targeted 10 Farmers with 10-20 ha of land under irrigation as the first phase and more than 180 farmers are targeted for the year 2020. LDARD Agri- Business Directorate: Enterprise Development unit and Limpopo Economic Development Agency (LEDA) collaborate to ensure success of the model.
LDARD officials; Jabu Nkuna: Agri-Business Fetakgomo-Tubatse, Sakkie Mosoma (BED-FED beneficiary) and Botse Mashilangwako: Crop Scientist Fetakgomo-Tubatse posing for a picture taking during barley harvesting at Mokutlung Village outside Orghistad