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Viticultural aid to resource limited producers

Gerrie Albertse

Assistance to help "new farmers" enter the viticultural industry currently enjoys high priority. After an investigation conducted in January 2000 by representatives of the Wine Industry Trust, WINETECH and researchers of ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij, it was decided to establish training sites at Douglas and Jacobsdal. In future these sites will be used for demonstration / training, with groups of farmers to receive training over a period of seven years.
Viticultural training is complemented by training in capacity building, offered by the Land Development Unit (LDU), a non-government organisation. The expected result at the end of the project is for farmers to be trained in viticultural practices and skilled in the management of funds and other management practices.

(PHOTO 1) Demonstration site at Douglas
Funding by DEVCO (The Wine Industry Development Company of South Africa) enabled the land donated to the communities by the municipalities of Jacobsdal and Douglas to be measured, thoroughly prepared, provided with micro irrigation and the vines planted.

(PHOTO 2) Measurement of land

(PHOTO 3) Digging of holes

(PHOTO 4) Mr Lucas, mayor of Douglas, holds the vine while Dr Nombokela shovels soil into the hole.
All these actions were executed by members of the respective vineyard projects, assisted by
Mr Gerrie Albertse, a contractor for ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij and the local representatives of the Department of Agriculture, Northern Cape and Free State.

(PHOTO 5) On 18 September 2000 the first vine at Jacobsdal was planted by Mr Tate Makgoe, Free State MEC for Agriculture while Dr Phil Mohlalane, chief director of Agriculture in the Free State, assisted with shovelling soil into the hole.

(PHOTO 6) Mr Marthinus Saunderson holds the vine while Mr Tommy Phillips of LDU shovels soil into the hole.
Mr Makgoe mentioned that partnerships between the Department of Agriculture, ARC and the private sector, as in the Jacobsdal project, are of crucial importance to teach small and upcoming farmers the finer skills of viticulture.
His message to the "new farmers" was that they should make the department proud of their project. "Your example will be held up to farmers who follow in your footsteps. If you fail, you will have set a bad example."
On 19 September a similar vineyard establishment function was held at Douglas. Dr Nombokela congratulated the group on their efforts to establish this project. He also admonished the "new farmers" to use water very sparingly in order to prevent excessive irrigation and to ensure that the quality of the polluted water of the Vaal River does not deteriorate even further.
Training of these "new farmers" will take place on a three monthly basis at the respective sites. Viticultural lectures will be offered in 15 separate modules. The subjects to be addressed are:
Physiology of the plant
Soil types
Soil preparation
Planning of vineyard establishment
Cultivar choice
Rootstock selection
Trellis systems
Irrigation
Fertilisation
Training of the vine
Pruning systems
Soil cultivation
Weed control
Disease and pest control
Costing
Training will be very practical, the theory to be discussed first, then followed by practical execution, for example digging a profile pit and interpreting the information to be gained from the pit.

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