Calls for a ban on tendering and/or the use of implementing agents in farmer support programmes have been brought under the spotlight by farmers in the Free State.
According to a farmer, Mojalefa Mashao, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in the Free State is reinstating implementing agents through a tendering system.
“I am a previous beneficiary of the department and I received funding through its transfer system, which meant that the department directly funded me, and I could use the money to acquire supplies and services from a service provider I deemed fit for my operations,” said Mashao. He added that bringing back the old system, which did not work, according to him, takes away the power from the farmers who are meant to be the beneficiaries of the funds provided by the department.
Farmers argue that the proposed system is deeply flawed, raising concerns about corruption, inefficiency, and inadequate support for their agricultural needs. Moreover, the timing of this change couldn’t be worse, as it coincides with the critical planting season when farmers require financial support to prepare their lands.
While the department claims that the reform is necessary, farmers argue that they are better equipped to manage their own funds and decisions. They fear that the new system will lead to a middleman extorting a substantial portion of funds, ultimately harming the farmers’ ability to achieve their agricultural goals.
According to another farmer, their calls to meet with the department and discuss this matter was finally answered, but the outcome of the meeting was not what they had hoped for. “The department is imposing a tender system on the farmers. And there are no farmers that are in agreement to it. It was a one-sided engagement,” he claimed.
Farmers are calling for greater transparency, accountability, and meaningful engagement with the government to resolve the issue.
Bloemfontein Courant reached out to the department for comment and to find out what the way forward would be. “I can confirm that the MEC engaged with the stakeholders at our facilities at the Glen College of Agriculture,” said communications officer, Zimasa Mbewu.
She added that the meeting allowed for stakeholders to make their presentations on the matter involving the transfers.
“The representatives of various organisations sharply raised their concerns around the urgency of support to farmers in time for the planting season and were not in favour of the route the department wants to take in appointing service providers to do the work. The department thoroughly explained why services would go out to tender. It would be pointless to repeat again, because stakeholders were provided with more than enough time to engage,” said Mbewu.
“We believe that if farmers now, despite such thorough engagements, still would like to pursue this matter outside the department it’s entirely up to them. We are satisfied that we have engaged and listened and engaged once more so that all parties can understand from what point of view some of these decisions are taken. We cannot please everyone but respect the rights and decisions farmers want to make,” she added.
Justine Fortuin
justine@mahareng.co.za
