Page 14 - 01 Cotton SA May 2013

Kleinboere • Smallholder Farmers

“RDP” Farmer creates jobs

A truly excellent success story has emerged under most unlikely circumstances. A dedicated small scale farmer who realised
that the RDP, on which people were depending for prosperity and progress, is not going to be his way forward.

nstead of wishing things were to come his way, he realised he had
to put his back against the wheel and got involved in farming to
make a success of farming. He proved the proverb which says:
“It is not wishbone that brings success - it is backbone!” We have
Iover the years reported on the successes of Frans Malella from
Matlerekeng in the Moutse West district of Limpopo. However, now
we are able to analyse the keys to his progress. RDP is not only for:
”Reconstruction and Development Programme”, but more importantly
for “Responsibility-Discipline-Passion”.
reSPoNSiBility
When he decided he wanted to farm, Frans did not wait for “something”
to happen, he saved enough money to buy a tractor and implements.
In other words, he took the RESPONSIBILITY on himself and didn’t
blame others if he could not attain the goals he set. If he wanted
excuses for things that went wrong, he could certainly have done so,
but he did not. Most importantly the responsibility shown for his
prompt repayment of loans ensured that he could obtain finance for PaSSioN
his operation every year from a financial institution. Frans is not satisfied with average yields. As chairman of the Swara
Otiise Molimi farmers’s association(74ha cotton) he inspires all the
DiSciPliNe members to achieve yields of 50% higher than average. Further proof
When something had to be done, he did it immediately and correctly. of his passion is the innovative implements that he has designed and
When crops had to be sprayed, he didn’t wait for someone built. A spray that applies Roundup as a directed spray, and a
to bring him chemicals. He normally bought them boom loader for lifting bales onto his truck, are but two
in advance, paid for them, and applied the spray examples.
on the same day he was advised. His tractor The result of this form of RDP is that he is able
he bought in 1984 is still going and he has to supply jobs for 90 ladies during harvest
serviced and maintained it himself exactly and time. Indeed a success story which should be
conscientiously according to specifications. followed by all small scale farmers who want to
(Many farmers wait for machinery to break graduate to small scale commercial farmers.
down and then attempt to fix it). By: Percy MaCaskill

Katoen sa Cotton 14 Jan - Mei/May 2013