Saai hopeful that coalition discussions will consider need of family farmers

The election result and coalition discussions that are currently underway leave South Africans with uncertainty, but also with hope about what the outcome of these discussions will be. Saai as the network for family farmers in South Africa hopes that political parties will also take the needs of family farmers to heart during their coalition discussions.

“We represent a variety of family farmers: big and small; rich and poor; black and white; well established and new. Our members have diverse political, religious and cultural beliefs, but all our members make a living from the land. In a highly competitive trading environment, our family farmers need safety, stability, and investor certainty to survive. That is why a resounding majority of our members support a multi-party government,” says Dr Theo de Jager, executive chairperson of Saai’s board.

According to Saai, a multi-party government cannot be just an agreement between politicians. Saai urges parties to involve civil institutions such as organised agriculture, the business sector, churches and community organisations in the national dialogue so that the voice of the countryside and our rural areas can also be heard in these discussions.