‘WE’RE HERE TO STAY’ – top farmers about the country they love

‘I’m investing everything I have in SA’

NICK SERFONTEIN, the Agricultural Writers South Africa’s Farmer of the Year for 2019, is the founder and chairperson of the Sernick Group, which comprises a Bonsmara farming operation, a feedlot and research station, meat processing interests, and retail endeavours.

Recognised as a leader in the red meat industry and agriculture sector, he also represented the interests of farmers by serving on the Presidential Advisory Panel on Land Reform after being invited to participate by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Serfontein says that despite the challenges facing South Africa, he is here to stay, and will continue to invest in the country. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m buying land. Everything I have I’m investing in this country. I don’t have a cent overseas,” he says.

This had not been an easy year for the sector, or for him personally; agriculture is not “in a good place”.

“Confidence is low and morale is low due to the drought, which is hitting us hard, the economy, the political uncertainty, policy uncertainty and expropriation without compensation.”

According to Serfontein, South Africa is being further weighed down by a “dysfunctional government”, and “the total collapse” of rural areas, as well as too many land reform failures.

“It’s extremely bad. So why be positive? There are positive signs.” He hopes for relief from the drought based on expert forecasts that indicate that the country is at the start of a wet cycle. He believes the political landscape is changing for the better, and despite attempts to change the Constitution, he does not believe any productive agricultural land will be expropriated.

“For the first time in many years, there’s an acknowledgement of the role of agriculture in South Africa. Agriculture can play a major role in economic development and job creation, but we have to make land reform work.”

However, this could not happen without the commercial farmer and the private sector.

“Government cannot do it [alone],” he says. – Sabrina Dean

‘We can all make a positive contribution’

South Africa’s diversity, opportunities in agriculture and goodwill among farmers are ample reason for , Agricultural Writers South Africa’s New Entrant to Commercial