By Maile Matsimela
The two-day Gauteng Agro-processing Convention and Expo, held at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, as well as government-led agricultural initiatives have come under criticism from a key agricultural stakeholder for failing to address the real challenges small-scale and township farmers face.
During Part 2 of the panel discussion titled “Financing Agro-processing: Blended Finance, Investments, Private Equity Financing and Insurance”, Enock Nango, Chairperson of the Gauteng Agriculture and Farming Chamber of Business, raised concerns about what he deems systemic failures in supporting small-scale agricultural entrepreneurs, earning loud applause from the audience.
Nango did not mince words as he expressed strong dissatisfaction with the expo’s approach and the broader government support structures for local entrepreneurs in the agricultural sector.
“We are sitting here as people in the grassroots, people who are trying to grow businesses, and the way the government has been running these programmes is not talking to the person on the ground,” Nango stated emphatically.
His frustration was evident as he highlighted the disconnect between government initiatives and the realities faced by township and rural entrepreneurs. “The application forms don’t talk to an informal sector, township sector or local person. The business plans they’re asking for don’t talk to the person on the ground,” he explained.
According to Nango, this disconnect extends to the financial sector as well. “The banks have not come to the party,” he noted, pointing to what he deems systemic failure in supporting grassroots agricultural businesses.
One of his principal concerns centres around the misallocation of resources. “We are giving billions to people that are going overseas to buy things,” he said, suggesting that funds could be better utilised to develop local manufacturing capacity. “We don’t have spaces to produce or manufacture. We are talking of manufacturing but we don’t have those.”
Nango criticised what he described as an overly academic approach to agricultural development. “We have academics that sit and decide what is good for people on the ground without even involving them,” he stated, advocating instead for a more inclusive approach.
The Chamber Chairperson called for a fundamental shift in how agricultural support programmes are designed and implemented. “They need to talk to the people on the ground. They need to understand the dynamics. They need to understand what’s happening in rural areas, in the townships, in the informal sector,” he emphasised.
As the expo continues, Nango’s comments highlight a growing tension between government-led agricultural initiatives and the practical needs of small-scale farmers and agribusinesses. His call for more grounded, accessible support systems represents a challenge to expo organisers and government officials alike to reconsider their approach to agricultural development in Gauteng.
“Until we’re able to get people sitting down together, we’ll continue to have these problems,” Nango concluded, underlining the need for collaborative solutions to the challenges facing the sector.
