Farming Voices: Member Feedback for Strategic Direction

Key Organisational Context and Findings:

• New University Department: A new university department is in the pipeline, with strong industry support, aiming to establish laboratories for tests not currently available in South Africa.
• Membership & Funding: Vrystaat Landbou is heavily reliant on member fees, with 95-99% of its budget coming from them. At the time of the survey, there were 2,619 members, 2,445 of whom were paid.
• Role of Organised Agriculture: Every person interviewed affirmed that organised agriculture plays a crucial and important role in the country.
• Awareness Gap: A significant finding was that 13% of respondents, including members, were unaware of all the activities undertaken by Vrystaat Landbou, indicating a communication gap.

Information Dissemination and Communication:

• Primary Information Sources:

    ◦ Farmer associations remain fundamental.

    ◦ Email, Congress, WhatsApp, and Vrystaat Landbou representatives are also used.

    ◦ Social media is less popular, possibly due to the older demographic of the majority of members (only 23% are between 21 and 35).

• Most Effective Communication Platform: WhatsApp was identified as the best-working platform for quick information dissemination, preferred by 61% of respondents.
• Suggestions for Communication Improvement:

    ◦ Vrystaat Landbou should increase visits to farmer associations.

    ◦ Create separate WhatsApp interest groups (e.g., livestock, grain research) to share relevant information.

    ◦ Vrystaat Landbou should be a regular agenda item at farmer association meetings.

    ◦ Annual training for farmer association chairpersons on organisational structures and updates.

Perceived Value of Membership and Member Priorities:

• Members expect value from their membership, with the highest priority being improved farm safety.
• Other significant areas where members expect Vrystaat Landbou to play a role include:

    ◦ Disaster management and emergency assistance.

    ◦ Improvement of infrastructure in rural areas (e.g., roads, water, electricity).

    ◦ Rural development and handling land ownership issues.

    ◦ Supporting young farmers.

    ◦ Advice on labour issues.

    ◦ Addressing risks related to mining and mineral rights for agriculture.

    ◦ Providing market information and risk assessment.

• Specific concerns also included land security, combating theft, infrastructure, land tax, and the involvement of young farmers.

Reasons for Membership Discontinuation or Non-Membership:

• Cost was the primary reason cited for ending or not joining membership. Many farmers found it expensive, especially during difficult economic times, and often belonged to multiple organisations.
• Ignorance about Vrystaat Landbou's activities and a lack of perceived value were also significant factors, often linked to the communication gap. Many former members expressed a desire to have remained members but cited economic necessity for their decision.

Importance of Research Participation:

• The presenter emphasised that good research depends on the active participation and accurate information provided by individuals, especially in qualitative research. The survey yielded positive feedback and good results thanks to participants' engagement.