TLU SA wishes to express its deepest appreciation for the successful initiative Coast to Coast 4 Farmers, a groundbreaking project that brought the mental health and overall wellbeing of South African farmers to the national stage.
The campaign was a unique and demanding adventure: a team of four participants travelled thousands of kilometres per jetski from coast to coast, with the aim of drawing South Africa’s attention to the daily challenges faced by farmers. This symbolic journey from the east to the west coast not only tested the participants’ physical endurance, but also served as a powerful metaphor for the determination and perseverance of farmers across South Africa.
TLU SA recognises that farmers today are under significant pressure. They must contend not only with market uncertainty, rising input costs and other external factors, but also with regulatory challenges and social pressures within their communities. The mental health of farmers and their families is often the silent, unseen aspect of this pressure, and Coast to Coast 4 Farmers has helped to bring this vital conversation into the open.
“This campaign was a brilliant example of how adventurous and creative methods can raise awareness,” says Bennie van Zyl, General Manager of TLU SA. “By capturing public interest, it helps people across the country to realise that farming is not merely economic production, but a life filled with challenges, responsibilities and, at times, isolation.”
The project made farmers’ stories visible and connected the agricultural community with the broader public.
TLU SA continues to encourage all South Africans to support initiatives such as this. “Every share, every conversation, and every small act of support contributes to building a stronger and more resilient farming community,” says Van Zyl. “We see campaigns like this as an important link between the agricultural community and wider society, particularly consumers, where understanding and engagement reinforce one another.”
Through their innovation and dedication, the organisers of Coast to Coast 4 Farmers have set an example of how collaboration, awareness and community involvement can support farmers. TLU SA will continue to support such efforts and will always recognise and value what is being done to improve the lives of South African farmers and their families.
TLU SA sincerely thanks the team for their hard work, courage and commitment to a cause that is of the utmost importance to every farmer: the preservation of mental health, resilience, and the dignity of the agricultural way of life.
(Photo credit: Coast to Coast 4 Farmers, Facebook)
