The Government of National Unity should bridge the gap when disaster strikes farms

South Africa is hindered by insufficient and incoherent policies regarding disaster relief for farmers, say Dr Theo de Jager and Francois Rossouw of Saai. A solid policy on disaster relief is needed to support farmers, including those recently been affected by the devastating fires that swept across several provinces.

- Dr Theo de Jager and Francois Rossouw

"For some time now, the agriculture sector in South Africa has been crippled by insufficient and incoherent policies regarding disaster relief for farmers.

This has often left farmers – particularly those affected by the recent devastating fires that ravaged thousands of hectares in North West, the eastern Free State, Gauteng, and large parts of the Eastern Cape – in dire straits and with little to no support from government.

Valuable plantations in Limpopo and Mpumalanga have also been lost and orchards have suffered irreparable damage, leaving farmers to make do with whatever funds that civil organisations can raise for disaster relief.

FARMERS ACROSS SOUTH AFRICA AFFECTED

These disasters, and the lack of aid from government, even affects those who are beneficiaries of land reform.

These farmers are struggling to keep their heads above water after the extensive damage caused by the recent fires.

Many farmers’ fences have been destroyed, livestock and wildlife have been killed, and in the Lowveld region, farmers have lost sheds, vehicles and equipment in devastating runaway fires.