Niël Terblanché
With only 220 completed forms received which represents a scant 13.2% of the Agricultural Employers’ Association’s (AEA) membership, the organisation warned that the low turnout might undermine the national wage survey’s integrity.
The AEA, in a statement, sounded the alarm on the need for increased member participation in its national wage survey as the 30 April 2024 deadline is approaching swiftly and added that the survey is vital for setting equitable wage standards across the farming sector.
The AEA has reiterated the importance of the survey, which not only influences wage policies but also supports the broader strategic decisions within the agricultural sector.
To spur participation, the association has promised a prize for the Farmers’ Association (FA) with the highest percentage of completed surveys.
According to the statement, members can submit their responses either electronically in Excel format or by printing, completing, and scanning the forms to the AEA office via email or direct submission.
In addition to addressing wage concerns, the AEA has also announced its 36th annual congress scheduled for 4 June 2024, at Arebbusch Lodge in Windhoek.
According to the statement, the congress, themed “Positive dynamics in farming,” aims to energize farm employers through insightful talks by prominent figures such as Thinus Pretorius, NAU President, and Robert McGregor of Cirrus Capital, who will discuss Namibia’s economic outlook.
The event will also feature Hellmut Halenke, an agricultural economist, and Eckhart Förtsch, a commercial farmer, who will delve into overcoming farming challenges and the critical role of education in agriculture’s future.
The organisation said in its statement that the congress will allow delegates from farmers’ associations affiliated with the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) to engage in these vital discussions, with participation structured around membership size as stipulated in the NAU constitution.
Registration for the event is ongoing until 24 May, with a fee of N$500 per delegate.
The AEA said that preparatory materials will be distributed electronically following registration confirmation, with hard copies available at the congress.
As both the wage survey deadline and the annual congress approach, the AEA continues to champion the cause of fostering a well-informed, equitably compensated, and dynamically motivated agricultural workforce in Namibia.
The organisation added that these events demonstrate the AEA’s efforts to engage its members actively in shaping the agricultural landscape through informed discussions and data-driven decisions.
Info that could be used in information boxes along with the story in the PDF paper
National Wage Survey
- Purpose: To gather credible data on remuneration across its members, which is crucial for benchmarking and policy recommendations.
- Current Status: Participation is currently low, with only 220 forms returned, making up less than 13.2% of the membership. This low response rate could jeopardize the credibility of the survey results.
- Urgency and Incentives: There is an urgency to increase participation before the April 30, 2024 deadline. AEA is incentivizing participation with a prize for the Farmers’ Association (FA) with the highest response rate. Members are urged to submit their responses electronically or through printed questionnaires.
36th Annual Congress
- Date and Location: Scheduled for June 4, 2024, at Arebbusch Lodge, Windhoek.
- Theme: “Positive dynamics in farming”. The congress aims to motivate farm employers and address various topics relevant to the agricultural sector.
- Speakers and Topics: Keynote speakers include Thinus Pretorius (NAU President), Robert McGregor (discussing the economic outlook), Hellmut Halenke (on overcoming farming challenges), and Eckhart Förtsch (focusing on education and training in agriculture).
- Delegate Participation: Details on the number of delegates each farmers’ association can send based on membership size, with a registration deadline of May 24, 2024.
