Dane Beisheim

North-West University Rector Prof Herman van Schalkwyk today, along with his co-authors and editors, launched their book titled "Unlocking smallholders to markets: Lessons from South Africa" at the University’s Potchefstroom campus.

The book documents the main findings of a study designed to investigate institutional and technical barriers to smallholder agriculture in South Africa. The book is aimed at members of the agricultural community, emerging farmers, as well as policy makers and students.  Also in attendance at the launch was Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Dr. Pieter Mulder, who congratulated all the parties involved with the writing of the book for their sterling contribution to agriculture.

Speaking at today’s launch was co-author Prof Adjuruchkuwu Obi, formerly from the University of the Free State and currently a lecturer at the university of Fort Hare in the United States of America. Prof Obi said that the current food and humanitarian crisis being experienced in Africa serves as a reminder of the importance of agricultural development in the quest for food security and sustainability. He added that low skill levels still predominate, and that smallholders usually make use of informal markets to sell their products.
 
According to their study, Prof Obi ads that despite considerable farming experience and commitment, smallholders generally are not able to access credit which in turn can help them acquire better implements and other resources. In his presentation Prof Van Schalkwyk made several suggestions as to how the industry may be assisted, including through better support from the Private and Public sector, better crime prevention and farmer education to their improve their literacy and numeracy.