By Lynette Simango
Who knows what an average farmer is going through except the farmer himself. There are the ones who understand the challenges they are facing and also where exactly they need help on. Instead of us telling their stories from our own point of view, I guess its time they tell their own stories and all we need to do is ask. One farmer once said “Reporters are sugarcoating our problems. I was able to send my kids to school because of farming and these days you can’t even buy property with that money. You will be lucky if you break even otherwise we are drowning in losses every season. What happened to subsidies?”
It’s sad when you listen to a farmer say these things. They feel whatever people are writing or reporting on regarding challenges faced in farming is not enough to get them help that they actually need. Most farmers have reached the bottom of the barrel and they need someone to help them stand on their feet again. They need a voice that is authentic, a voice that doesn’t make their problem feel less of a problem and that’s where we come in a VaMudhumeni – #helpingfarmersgrow as we also give them a voice to share their experiences. Don’t hesitate to contact us. You need to be heard!