To find out more about International Farmer’s Day, OFM News’ Lee Simmons speaks to the president of the World Farmers’ Organisation, Dr. Theo de Jager, about this day and what it entails….

See PODCAST below

De Jager says, “International Farmers’ Day is a celebration of the oldest profession in the world and the biggest profession in the world.” He says that there is not a country in the world that can be fully functional without the support and work of the agricultural sector and farmers. De Jager says that farmers form the core of every economy and should be celebrated accordingly. 

“This celebration is to bring some recognition to those people who are out there in the rural areas feeding cities,” adds De Jager.

He says that upon being chosen as the president of the World Farmers’ Organisation, he has been able to travel the world at large where he was able to compare and speak on the differences in farming modes and ways. De Jager says that he has gained the world's knowledge as he learns about small scale, medium and large scale farming and how it’s done globally.

“There are three things people can do to celebrate farmers. As consumers, the first is when you walk by the shelves in the shops today, or tomorrow, just spare a thought for those who are really working hard in the sun and the rain to get the food to the shelves, but more than that - pray for us. Secondly, in every one of us there is a farmer somewhere, because that’s where we all came from,“ adds De Jager.

He further explains SAAI’s initiative to celebrate International Farmers’ Day through their completion called ‘Win a hunters trip for your dad’ which aims to inspire and expose young children to the farming world and to inspire them to become prospective farmers in the near future. He mentions that the competition has been going on for the past three weeks and that the winner will be announced on Tuesday 12 October.

De Jager concludes by saying that this year is the super year in terms of the United Nations’ agenda on food systems that was held two weeks ago in New York. He says he loves nature more than farmers. 

OFM News