The primary goals of the agricultural industry are becoming much more difficult to achieve in the light of the organised agriculture's support and cooperation with the ANC government to implement its destructive socialist ideology, says Fanie Brink, an independent agricultural economist.
He referred to the articles "Georganiseerde landbou moet pas aandui" and "Hou deure tussen landbou en politici oop" on agriculture's role in politics and views on land expropriation during the Agri Western Cape's congress which appeared in the Landbouweekblad of 19 August 2021.
The two articles contradict each other on the organised agricultural industry's involvement in the agricultural economic policy objectives about which there can in fact be no doubt or difference except in a socialist policy environment.
The main objectives of agriculture are, firstly, the promotion of the profitability and sustainability of commercial agricultural production based on acceptable, scientific and economic principles to ensure the financial survival of producers.
Secondly, the support and promotion of the agricultural industry by actively addressing the threats posed to the international and local political and economic developments for the industry, while seizing the opportunities brought about by new technological and economic developments to ensure food security for the country .
Thirdly, the establishment of a political and economic policy environment within which agriculture must be enabled to make a greater contribution to economic growth by improving the profitability of the industry. The specific agricultural economic and scientific principles are based on the optimum and most profitable level of production because food security can only be sustainable if the production of food is profitable.
The most important task of the organised agriculture is to be involved as far as possible in the government's macro and agricultural economic policies to the exclusive benefit of the industry and its producers.
Since the new government came into power with its totally dominant socialist political and economic ideology, it has become very seriously mixed with agriculture's primary objectives and in fact poses a very great threat to, among others, the agricultural industry, the economy and the country.
The organised agriculture has become a major supporter of the government's destructive policies through its pronouncements and cooperation with the socialist minded organised private sector as a social partner of the government in which the primary policy objectives of the agricultural industry were no longer a major priority.
The government and its social partners have never understood that economic growth is created from the supply and demand side of the economy driven by the profit motive and in no other way.
Under the current economic conditions in the country, the organised agriculture will have to realise that with its cooperation and support of the government's socialist policies, it is further irreversibly destroying agriculture and the economy. The organisation will have to take a very serious stand by opposing and rejecting the government's socialist economic policy, otherwise the industry, along with the rest of the economy, will be finally destroyed within the next 3 to 4 years. The countdown has already started.
The most important task of the organised agriculture in this regard is to persuade the government to create a political and economic environment that will be conducive to improving the profitability of the agricultural industry because it is the only way the industry will be able to achieve its primary goals.
The organised agriculture can never fail in its duty to be fully involved in the "government's political and economic policies" as some political commentators want it to be. Supporting the government's policy of land expropriation without compensation was a huge mistake that would ultimately be a total failure as the government and economy would eventually collapse further.
Several commercial farmers, out of free choice, have made many of their farm workers part of their farming enterprises which are the best alternative for the destruction of agriculture and the economy through land expropriation without compensation.
The decision of the ANC's 2017 Congress that the expropriation of land without compensation should be a major priority of its socialist ideology, but subject to the conditions that it should not harm agricultural production, food security or other industries in the economy. The economically illiterate and incompetent politicians are, however, still stumble ahead with the implementation of land expropriation without compensation which will be the last nail in the coffin of the agricultural industry and the economy. Land expropriation without compensation will never be in the interest of the public and the country.
In Zimbabwe, the government is borrowing money directly from foreign investors to finance the first half of a $3,5 billion (nearly R52 billion) compensation agreement with white farmers whose land was expropriated and seized two decades ago.
"The organised agriculture will have to stop supporting the government's socialist ideology, while political commentators will have to refrain from making inconsiderate and irresponsible statements and comments on the sustainability of food production and economic growth of which they have no knowledge about and which does not contribute to the achievement of the basic objectives of the agricultural industry,” says Brink.
Fanie Brink, Independent Agricultural Economist
WE CANNOT CONTINUE LIKE THIS IN THE COUNTRY AS THERE WILL BE NOTHING LEFT!!
