He also provides more information about the latest developments in the agricultural sector. 

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In this week’s insert, Sihlobo takes a look at the importance of communication in the policymaking process.

“South Africa's agricultural sector is currently in the process of finalising the sector Master Plan. The final consultations with constituencies of various social partners, comprising industry, government, labour and civil society, will soon begin, after which the Master Plan will be signed off. This document will serve as a guide for inclusive growth in the sector.

“An essential pillar of the Master Plan should be an effective communication strategy and a transparent monitoring and evaluation framework. This is important for ensuring that there is a shared understanding of its ultimate objectives and that the achievement of these is monitored on an ongoing basis. While the Master Plan has a wide range of fundamental policy issues, I'd like to focus more on the significance of a communication strategy for this week's Viewpoint,” says Sihlobo.

He adds that those that are partners to the Master Plan should take responsibility for communicating with farmers and industry groups. 

“Government has a more significant commitment to share information and create awareness, especially in former homelands areas (communal land areas), where organised agriculture and formal farmers forums are not a dominant feature. In these areas, farming is predominantly at a small scale, and these farmers are often on the margins of policy processes.

“They do not have influential organisations to represent their voice. Most of these farmers are found in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo. These are likely to be future pivots of growth for the sector, precisely because they possess land in abundance that is underutilised and holds promise as the country's food basket.

“An effective communication strategy that reaches out to these underserved areas could create the needed confidence and encourage production. It is also crucial that farming communities in the former homelands are fully aware of the government's future plans. For this purpose, the government can tap into various platforms such as radio, imbizo – with Covid-19 regulations observed, and flyers in local languages, amongst other media,” he adds.

Sihlobo says that the Master Plan communication strategy should aim at bridging the information gap between farming communities and the government.

“We are aware of the human resource constraints within the government to achieve such a feat. Thus, this communication strategy would need to be calibrated across different provinces, with priority given to those areas that have a high potential for expansion.

“It is of little help to plan in Pretoria while stakeholders on the ground are not well apprised of their area's developments. Such lack of clear communication risks creating a scenario where local farmers and stakeholders would view the growth interventions of the Master Plan as something that is imposed on them rather than a collaborative effort to help their areas to develop.

“In areas with formally organised agriculture groups, the provincial government might also need to amplify Pretoria's message and ensure that farming communities understand the government's policy goals and how these will be carried out. The support of the government's efforts by various constituencies hinges on clarity in articulating policy goals. It is difficult for farmers and industry groups to support something they don't understand,” he further adds.

“The lack of communication is, in part, what usually leads to resistance and pessimism about government's programmes in various sections of the country. It is also worth noting that the organised structures do not represent all farmers or agribusinesses that government interacts with within Pretoria. For such categories of farmers or agribusinesses, it is the government's responsibility to communicate its policies clearly and seek buy-in for public-private-partnership (PPP) approaches to development.

“PPPs' vehicle is the main delivery instrument for supporting the growth and inclusion of previously marginalised farmers in the agriculture sector. This is an opportunity for the government to share the Master Plan effectively and convince the farming community that this is a plan for all farmers and stakeholders in the sector, not for a particular grouping.

Importantly, policymakers and senior government officials should also remember that effective communication is not "a nice to do" but an integral part of policymaking. Therefore, the Master Plan at its final stages will have to be communicated widely to make sure that all those involved in agriculture understand the sector's focus for the near-to-medium term. Only when there is such a common understanding and vision between government and social partners will the sector progress in implementing its policies effectively and delivering on the objective of sustainable and inclusive growth,” concludes Sihlobo.

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