The Vital Role That Mentoring Can Play In Agriculture

- Dawie Maree

Mentorship or mentoring became buzzwords in agriculture some years ago. However, not long after that, it also became a swear word. There were various reasons for this, some unfounded and others valid.

Mentoring is not new. In the South African agricultural industry, it was widely practised in the early 2000s when previously disadvantaged individuals entered the market through various government programmes aimed at transformation and wealth redistribution.

Mentoring can be defined as a relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps guide a less experienced or less knowledgeable person.

In my opinion, the keyword in the definition is ‘relationship’. It is therefore not a once-off meeting, or a once-a-year get-together, but a continual relationship, which will determine the ultimate success of the mentoring programme.

DIRTY WORD

In the recent past, mentoring became a dirty word in agriculture, although this negative connotation seems to be diminishing. In earlier mentoring programmes, mostly driven by the then Department of Agriculture, inappropriate mentors were often selected. A number of less successful farmers saw it as welcome extra income, because they themselves were struggling to keep their heads above water.