The development of the Fruit Workers’ Development Trust

Over the last five years, it has become clear that focusing on the positive yields even better life skills outcomes for farm workers. By Gerrit Rautenbach

The Fruit Workers’ Development Trust (FWDT) is a 100% BEE entity, as defined by the BEE Codes of Good Practice. The purpose of the Trust is to address the social conditions of agri-workers on pome- and stone-fruit farms. The FWDT was established in 2005 when the deciduous fruit industry recognised the opportunity to invest in shares, and the proceeds are to benefit permanent farm workers by improving their livelihoods, assisting with life skills training, and contributing to improved welfare. In addition to these, registered permanent workers also receive a financial dividend from the funds invested on their behalf. The trustees currently are  Dora Ndaba (FWDT), Anton Rabe (Hortgro), Wimpie Paulse (Graaff Fruit) and Dr Konanani Liphadzi (private consultant).

The FWDT also approached PROCARE, one of the leading employee wellness companies in SA, to structure and conduct social awareness and skills development workshops. In 2021, the programme kicked off on 28 farms with 801 farmworkers taking part. To secure buy-in from the farmers, PROCARE developed a presentation and workshop delivered on the farms that lasts only 4 hours, minimising production time loss—but those hours packed a punch, getting the workers to speak up and address the problem. Only four hours had a huge life-changing effect on many people, bringing them, the farm and the farmer into a much more positive space.

This is the fifth year the workshops have been offered, and PROCARE has been using the same social workers on the same farms year on year, which means there is now a longer-standing relationship between the social workers and participants, making the job easier, with more spontaneity and better results. Every year, it’s more like a long-standing friend coming to see them again.

“The first two workshop subjects were gender based violence and substance abuse, presented from 2021 to 2023, and although the results and change after the workshops were great, we realised that not all the participants and/or their families were affected by these subjects,” explains Sunette le Roux, executive manager of operations at PROCARE. Therefore, a paradigm shift in the workshops took place, focusing on subjects that involved every participant. It’s all about the development of all participants, ensuring that, after the seminar, there will be a better, clearer understanding and benefit from the chosen life skill for all. It is about participants learning new skills to empower themselves.

A case in point is that every worker needs to know how to manage his or her personal finances, so last year (2024), the subject was Financial Wellness. “It focused on budgeting, how interest on a hire purchase works, and how to manage your money better, making the most of it,” Sunette says. Afterwards, every participant walked out with a better understanding of how to manage their money—a honed life skill.

Just like all workers are exposed to financial issues, they are also involved in communication and conflict. Wherever two or more people get together, they will talk and not always agree. So the 2025 life skill workshop was Communication and Conflict. The first two hours were dedicated to communication. What is effective communication, verbal and non-verbal communication, good building blocks and recognising barriers for communication. Developing assertiveness and respectful expression, as well as listening and empathy skills. Amongst others.

The second half of the course focused on conflict. The fact that conflict is inevitable but not all bad. Good can come from it, as long as you recognise positive conflict. What are the boundaries of conflict, and what is your personal type and style of conflict? Causes of workplace conflict were explored, along with healthy ways to respond to them. Workers were given practical tools to promote teamwork and resolution. Each participant also had the opportunity to evaluate their own conflict style, which is a great tool for managing it before it becomes negative and nasty. They engaged in group discussions and had opportunities for personal reflection, helping them internalise and apply the skills in practice. Communication can and will cause conflict, but they learnt that it is also the proper (if not the only) way to resolve it.

To date, 37 training sessions have been conducted during 2025, involving 1,182 farmworkers. This practical experience contributes to credibility and a deep understanding of the unique challenges farmworkers face daily. Participants consistently provide very positive feedback. They describe the training as useful, easy to understand, and relevant to their work environment. The courses are conducted in English or Afrikaans, with an Xhosa translator available when necessary.

Although the project is fully funded by the FWDT, a great thank you must go to the producers for stopping production for four hours, allowing their workers to be trained. But then, on the other hand, four hours sacrificed to positively alter farmworkers’ capabilities for the rest of their lives is a priceless investment in human capital.

For more information about PROCARE’s programmes or about FWDT, please get in touch with Sunette le Roux at 021 873 0532 or Karien Bezuidenhout at 021 870 2900.

What the farm workers had to say:

“Ek het geleer hoe om ’n gesprek te hê met ’n ander persoon deur te luister.”

“Praat duidelik en luister goed.”

“Fokus op die probleem, nie die persoon nie.”

“Luister en vra vrae.”

“Wen mense se vertroue en respek.”

“Moenie vinnig praat voor jy klaar geluister het nie.”

“Ek gaan aan my selfbeeld werk om konflik te vermy.”

“As iemand met jou praat, kyk in sy oë.”

“Om konflik te hanteer, begin by jouself.”

CAPTION: Agri workers from Lindenhof, outside Paarl, found the workshop empowering.