André Brink, owner of leading agri-producer Groot Phesantekraal near Durbanville, has trumped strong competition to be named the Western Cape Agricultural Writers SA Awards Farmer of the Year winner for 2024. He will now represent his farm and the province in the forthcoming National Agricultural Writers SA Awards scheduled to take place on Friday, 15 November 2024 in Pretoria.
André and his sons Rennie and Jeandré are the fourth and fifth generation of the Brink family running the well-diversified farming business Groot Phesantekraal. The historic farm was founded in 1698, making it one of the oldest in the Durbanville area. When André took over Groot Phesantekraal in 1996, the farm consisted of 350 hectares of crops, 800 sheep ewes and 50 beef cattle. Today the property has been expanded to 4 650 ha, plus 850 ha of leased land. Small grain is grown on 2 500 ha, there are 1 500 ha of medic pasture, 180 ha of vineyards and a 500-ton wine cellar. The sheep herd has grown to 3 500 Dohne Merino ewes and the beef cattle herd to 400 Hereford cows.
Groot Phesantekraal is a 100% family business. André is responsible for the overall management and identifies new opportunities for expansions and value addition. Rennie runs the small grain and wine departments, while Jeandré focuses on the livestock department and the farm’s own pellet feed factory. André’s wife Ronelle oversees marketing, administration and wine exports.
Groot Phesantekraal has six farming branches, namely small grain, livestock, wine grapes, a feed factory, hospitality in the form of a newly relaunched restaurant and tasting room, and a non-agricultural branch (building/property development) that helps to spread the farm’s risk. Risk is further mitigated by cutting out the middle man, or external service providers and suppliers, and thus keeping as much of the value chain on the farm as possible. This also enhances the traceability of products.
The business places a great focus on value addition in and between all the branches. André manages risks proactively. He believes that a farm, like any other business, must guard against stagnation and he tries to stay on the cutting edge of new technology and new farming methods. Being expensive however, technology must be functional and add value. It should also be used cost-effectively to optimally manage land use and to maintain natural resources.
Sustainability is a golden thread at Groot Phesantekraal. A comprehensive crop-rotation system has resulted in healthy soils and thriving biodiversity on the farm, with consistently reduced reliance on chemical control agents and more organic inputs. Investments in solar panels, solar pumps and precision-irrigation technology have helped to save electricity and water. Cellar packaging has been standardised to further limit wastage.
Groot Phesantekraal is no newcomer to the awards stage, with previous recognition emphasising the high standards that are maintained across its diverse branches. In 2022 the farm was named Grain SA’s Grain Producer of the Year. This was preceded by another major award in 2015: The Protein Research Foundation’s Canola Yield Competition Winner in the Swartland (with a yield of 2,19 tons per ha). André has been asked to share his expertise and experience at the annual Nampo Harvest Day panel discussions, and host international study groups. Groot Phesantekraal’s wines have won numerous awards, notably the FNB Top 10 Sauvignon Blanc accolade on two occasions.
Despite these stellar achievements, André has a pragmatic view of success. He believes that the farmer’s approach should always be to do everything to the best of one’s ability, as sustainably and profitable as possible, and then success will follow naturally. Ultimately André considers his greatest success to be the fact that his children want to continue with the family business. The prospect of future generations’ involvement is a constant motivation for him to keep growing the business and add value to ensure long-term viability. He also feels strongly about social responsibility and the economic empowerment of workers, who are trusted team members.
The Agricultural Writers SA Awards honour excellence in agriculture by recognising leading role players in the sector who dedicate their efforts to advancing sustainable farming practices, strengthening food security, boosting rural economies, and enhancing the image of agriculture in South Africa. Apart from the Farmer of the Year title, industry innovators are also honoured in the Agriculturist of the Year and New Entrant to Commercial Agriculture categories. Groot Phesantekraal was nominated for this prestigious competition by veteran journalist Hugo Lochner of Plaas Media.
