Western Cape farmers weigh mechanisation options

As more and more farmers consider mechanisation in the wake of violent farm worker strikes in the Western Cape earlier this year, the impact on unemployment is raising concern. “There have been some serious repercussions following the strikes,” said Viola Manual, CEO of the Cape Chamber of Commerce. “We are hearing more and more from farmers that they are considering mechanised operations – and the use of technology has become a serious discussion point in agriculture where before it did not play a prominent role. In this regard we have been very critical of the minister of labour around solutions being offered for the agricultural sector.” She said with much of the produce on farms being exported, the impact of strikes on the Western Cape economy was huge – but if farmers were to opt for mechanised operations it would have a serious impact on employment figures. “And one has to understand where farmers are coming from. They want to get their product to the international market as efficiently and effectively as possible. Regaining market share that is lost is near impossible – and these farmers know that,” said Manual. “Job retention and job creation are just as important as salary discussions and have to be considered in the bigger picture.” She said the Chamber remained optimistic that solutions could be found where both the plight of the farm worker and the farmer could be addressed. But Manual feels that by just legislating a minimum wage and increasing wages across the board, the unskilled worker who is not adding value to the farm is benefiting as much as the worker who is taking the time to train and improve his skills. “We are not solving the situation if we are not creating incentives to move the skills base and create workers who add value to farms. This is the debate we are bringing to government and lobbying with them to create systems where workers who go the extra mile are rewarded for that.” She said at the same time the dispute centre established by the Chamber to fulfil an arbitration role in disputes was being used to address some of the issues resulting from the farm strikes, “Labour and farmers' organisations are in discussions and know they have to find solutions before the picking season starts again.” The agricultural sector plays a major role in the Western Cape, contributing some 23.2% to the province’s GDP. INSERT & CAPTION We are not solving the situation if we are not creating incentives to move the skills base and create workers who add value to farms. – Viola Manual