WILLOWMORE NEWS - Beneficiaries of the seven registered cooperatives in Willowmore recently established their own Cooperative Forum.
The forum is aimed at improving the relationship between the cooperatives and relevant stakeholders and promoting recognition and support for their various projects.
They believe that small-scale farming and other community development projects in Willowmore are neglected by the government and that their role in the economy of the country is undermined.
Vice-Chairperson Flip Pieterse explains that recognition and support have always been a challenge. “Since the establishment of the Baviaans Land and Agrarian Reform Forum (BLARF) many years ago, there have been numerous meetings with the municipality, the Department of Agriculture, and other stakeholders. Many promises were made but few materialised,” he says.
“We are grateful for the support of NGO Support Centre of Land Change (SCLC) but we do need the support of the government as well.”
The forum is hopeful that the status quo will change, and that government will recognise and support their projects now that they are registered as legal entities.
Pieterse says the forum will take responsibility for monitoring the cooperatives and ensuring they adhere to the rules and regulations pertaining to their registration.
On the photograph the members of the forum are from left back: Murven Maartins (Phambile Organic Farmers), Jacoba Dunn (Willowmore Nursery & Aquaponics and additional member of the Willowmore Cooperative Forum), Flip Pieterse (Saamstaan Boerdery and Vice-Chairperson of the Cooperative Forum), Marihichia Rossouw (Simunye Women's Cooperative), Paulus Boesak (Saamstaan Boerdery), Johannes van Rooyen (Poor Man's Friend Recycling and Treasurer of the Cooperative Forum), Theresa Barnard (Willowmore Nursery & Aquaponics). Front: Laurett Miles (Simunye Women's Cooperative and Secretary of the Willowmore Cooperative Forum) and Sandra Wilschut (Emthungweni Sewing Cooperative and Chairperson of the Cooperative Forum).
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