Page 4 - GrowSA News September

I N D U S T R Y P E R S O N L A I T Y

SUCCEEDINGINAGRICULTUREASAWOMAN

Alfreda Mars, grain and sheep farmer from Moorreesburg
“Success never comes easy, and for a single woman in farming it is an uphill ba�le, but
it is possible,” says Alfreda Mars, grain and sheep farmer from Moorreesburg.

Making a mindset change from being a small-scale farmer who just farms to provide for your family to
being a commercial farmer, running the farm as a business, was the turning point for Alfreda, who farms
on Middelpos 946. She acquired the land in 2013 as part of the PLAS-program. The farm is 226 ha, and
she cul�vates 70% with grain and 30% with sheep. Since she acquired the farm, the grain produc�on
increased from 1,1 ton/ha to 2,9ton/ha, and the percentage of lambs increased from 89% to 112%.

“Training and prac�cal experience are extremely important if you want to be succesful, and one should
use the resources at your disposal,” says Alfreda.

In addi�on to this, advisors are of cri�cal importance. A hands-on advisor would assist the farmer in
addressing the challenges experienced in their unique environment. She also feels that farmers in the
same area should act as accountability partners to one another, and especially the new small farmer
since they are acquainted with the agricultural environment in the area.

Alfreda is the only women of colour who is a grain commercial farmer in the Western Cape. She
advocates for land and credit opportuni�es to be made more easily accessible for women in agriculture.
Access to finance is a par�cular challenge for single women as the qualifying criteria do not cater for
them, and if they are married, the standing of their partner might disqualify them. To overcome this,
Alfreda feels, “the proof is in the pudding, build your reputa�on to prove your capabili�es to financial
ins�tu�ons.”

Alfreda is an execu�ve team member of Grain SA, and she is part of a team that is crea�ng a pla�orm to
support women of colour in agriculture specifically.

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