As the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) crisis spreads across South Africa like wildfire, leaving farmers in despair amid slow government response, the private sector has chosen not to remain on the sidelines any longer.
Wiesenhof Coffee Roastery has partnered with the Southern African Agri Initiative (Saai) to contribute to Saai’s disaster relief fund, which will support family farmers devastated by FMD and administrative mismanagement.
While government processes stall and uncertainty cripples markets, businesses are now stepping in decisively to help farmers survive.
Four years ago, Wiesenhof committed a percentage of its profits from every cup of coffee, as well as various items at Wiesenhof and Dulce restaurants, to promote farm safety and technological modernisation. Today, that commitment is being expanded, with an intensified focus on biosecurity, vaccine logistics, and emergency support for farmers who have been pushed to their financial limits.
“When you enjoy a cup of coffee with us, you stand with our farmers. Together we are building a stronger agricultural sector and protecting food security for the future,” says Kobus Wiese, owner of Wiesenhof.
“Family farms are the backbone of food security. When they fall, communities fall with them,” says Dr. Theo de Jager, Chairman of Saai. “This partnership proves that the private sector is willing to take responsibility when systems fail.”
The new fund is not merely symbolic, it is a practical lifeline for producers struggling to protect their herds, obtain movement permits, maintain market access, and survive cash flow pressures.
Kobus adds, “Agriculture is the heart of our country. With every cup of coffee, we choose to make that heart beat stronger.”
On Friday, 20 February at 08:00, Wiesenhof handed over a cheque to Saai at the Wiesenhof Coffee Shop in Franschhoek, a visible demonstration that every cup of coffee now forms part of a greater fight to save South Africa’s family farms.
The message is clear: if the state does not act in time, communities and the private sector will.
The FMD crisis has brought many family farms to a point where they will not survive without outside help. The partnership between Saai and Wiesenhof aims to unlock that help as much as possible. Saai is deeply grateful for Wiesenhof’s contribution and hope to involve more businesses in the partnership.
