Hollard Insure and Farmingportal.co.za and Agri News Net - Young Agri Writers competition-
Crowd Farming Money is a medium of exchange; it enables individuals to attain the necessities of life. Most sectors struggle to obtain enough financial resources to carry out their day to day activities, due to various reasons namely high interest rates as well as financial illiteracy. The Agricultural Sector has faced difficulties in obtaining financial resources for many years now and as we progress into a world that is so highly dependent on technology, things do not seem to get any easier. Since a numerous factors are actually considered before allowing new farmers to actually obtain capital to start their own business venture, however the progression into the digital age is not completely a bad step for agriculture. A way to assist farmers financially without the tedious process that most would go through in financial institutions has been found. What is Crowd farming and how did it start? An easy approach to assist anybody in purchasing and owning profit-generating assets, as well as assisting farmers in growing and maintaining assets until they are ready for sale.
Crowd farming was found by Gonzalo Ursula in 2017, an orange farmer in Europe. Mr. Gonzalo’s saw how beneficial it was to have a good relationship with your customers if you are the supplier and how this can positively benefit your brand as well as the quality of goods you will be producing, since you will be getting feedback about your product. This amazing concept was later adopted by Ntuthuko Shezi who is now the CEO of Livestock Wealth as he has been assisting many small farmers in South Africa receive financial capital to in order to start their own farming businesses or even get the necessary resources to carry out their farming practices effectively and successfully. Crowd farming has had a very positive effect within its neighbouring communities because locals are now able to participate in the building and developing of the farm.
Allowing them to also directly benefit from the success of the farm, thus improving their quality of life. In conclusion, it is very easy for one to have an idea to start a business however the difficulties that come with carry out the idea, putting the plan into action has to be the hardest part especially when the biggest problem is capital. Many farmers around South Africa have amazing farm ideas that can possibly move our Agricultural sector to the next level as well as make our country at least close to being self-sufficient and not so dependent on other countries for the basic goods that we can produce on our own. We as a country could go back to the drawing board and consider different ways of assisting new farmers and invest more into agriculture. “Investments in agriculture are the best weapons against hunger and poverty, and they have made life better for billions of people”. -Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Yolanda Maphalala
I am Yolanda Mbali Maphalala from KwaZulu Natal Bergville (Zwelisha) which is a beautiful town situated in the foothills of the Drakensburg mountains. I am currently completing my undergraduate degree in BSc Agricultural Economics at the University of the Free State. I am very passionate about the sustainability of the natural environment as well as understanding the financial aspects that accompany these factors.
