DAFF presentation

15 May 2014

Mark & Aretha Williams

SHALOM FARMING

Profile of Mark & Aretha Williams Shalom Farm

– The past– The present– Plans for future development

Motivation for support Conclusion

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WELCOMING PARTY!

Profile of Mark Williams

Mark – Born in a shack in Kensington; When 4yrs old, move to Maitland; go to school on Garden Village Primary; attend Kensington High; i was expelled from school in grade 11 due to activism (UDF); Start working for Non Ferris Metals as a labourer when 18 yrs old and was earning R63/week; after 7 months became the supervisor of the warehouse with a value of R300m; at the age of 21yrs i became the Import/Export Manager and was doing business China etc.

Mr Allen Savage, the MD of Non Ferris Metals, took me under his wing from the age of 18 and showed me the ins-and outs of business

At the age of 23 I was in charge of the silver and gold division; extracting silver from x-rays and photographic materials

I started my own company at the age of 24 due to the closing of Non Ferris Metals and do the extracting myself

I had that company for 9 years

Profile of Mark Williams (2)

How do I came to farming? I always have a thing for gardening I went to bought 30m² of roll-on lawn and

standing on the farm, something came up within me: THIS IS WHAT I WANT I WANT TO DO! I THINK MY ANCHESTORS WAS TALKING TO ME!

I asked the owner if I can help him to sell the lawn

Within one week he came back wit a proposal

Profile of Mark Williams (3)

I worked on a commission basis for one year The worked slow down and I approached him to

supply me with lawn if I can get my own work I started advertising in various newspapers and

get a lot of positive responses for work Always in my heart I wanted to own my own farm I started CK Roll-on Lawns and had the company

for 12 years – the first black man that did roll-on lawn in a white dominated industry.

Profile of Mark Williams (4)

After that 12 years I sold my house and bought a Landbank repossessed farm in Riverlands, Malmesbury

I was so eager to farm, i bought anything under sun. – 20 cows; 30 sheep; 40 goats; 20 pigs

I thought there was a lot money in farming. So I found out the hard way that farming was not

a 9-5 job, but a 24/7 job

Profile of Mark Williams (5)

I then went in to broiler chicken farming and build my own coupes to do 5000 chickens

I did well with the broiler chickens rearing them but the markets was not so good

I lost money in the broilers due to promises by mouth and not on paper

I found out the hard way that the most important thing in farming is to get your markets first; in black and white, signed contract

Profile of Mark Williams (6)

Profile of Aretha Williams (Wife)

Aretha is doing the day-to-day admin and bookkeeping of the business;

She got a diploma in bookkeeping and computer literacy

Courses & Committee

I realised that I need training in farming and attend the Farmer Development Programme as well as the Making Markets Matter Programme

I also did a SAPA course in egg-laying production and a hydroponics vegetable course

I also started to buy the farming magazines like the Farmers Weekly & Landbou Weekblad to broaden my knowledge.

I am selected as a member of Vegetable C-PACK as well as Technical Advisory Committee

Chinese Veggies

Four years ago we were money strap and when we discussed it with a friend, who was a bank manager, he suggested that we must rent out the land that was not under production

We advertise and a Chinese guy respond and said that there is a need for Chinese Veggies in Cape Town and it is a niche market

We negotiate a deal and it got me thinking: There must be a niche market under foreign fellow Cape Townians. So we started to plant veggies for them.

THE CHINES VEGGETABLES

CASP funding

Two years back we applied for funding for an egg-layer production free range unit

We found out that there is also a niche market due to health conciseness

Markets were in place and we got CASP funding for the infrastructure, 5000 chickens and feed for three months.

From the profits were we bought 28 cattle and 30 sheep.

We also employ 7 people, including me & my wife

Whole area was covered with Port Jackson trees There was no fence around the farm Access road was in bad condition There was no electricity The was no borehole There was no housing Most importantly: There was no Government

funding available to bought farm for us Bought farm through ABSA

Shalom Farm – The past (2006)

This was how it was in 2006

Full 8ha under production– Chicken house– Chinese veggies– Malawian veggies

Rent another 15ha for cattle & sheep– 20 cattle– 20 sheep

In September 2014 we will start with a rearing 50 pigs on the rented land

Shalom Farm – Recap

The Pigs

Cattle

Sheep

Chickens

Eggs

Future plans

Next two years: like to own a 2000ha – 3000ha farm in the Ceres area

Must be a wool & sheep and goats farm There is a big market for wool, sheep and goats Wants to become one of the biggest farms in

that area with at least 3000 sheep and 2000 goats

Will appreciated it gladly if the government can asist us in this to reach our goal

We wil still keep Shalom Farming in operation

CONCLUSION (1)

There is an perseption that Black Farmers can’t farm– HERE AM I STANDING IN FRONT OF YOU WHO

CAN AND IS DOING SO FOR THE LAST 7 YEARS! – WITH OUR OWN MONEY!– WE CAN MAXIMIZE OUR PRODUCTION LEVELS,

CREATE MORE JOBS AND CONTRIBUTE MORE TO THE AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE GOVERNMENT PROGRAMMES!

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My family and staff would like to thank Mr. Mogale and FSD for giving us this opportunity to show our real potential in farming.

The impact of the funding improved my family’s and those of my staff’s lifestyle.

I know that we will have a good relationship and understanding of each other for the road forward to feed our country and also to empower black farmers.

CONCLUSION (2)

Thank you

Thank you!