This year’s NAMPO harvest day took place a week after the National and Provincial elections and it was for this reason that the discussions at Nation in Conversation focused largely on the economic and political landscape of post-election South Africa.
Theo Venter, Rudi Dicks and John Purchase are in studio discussing the importance of agriculture partnerships between government and the private sector. The Private Public Growth Initiative (PPGI) initiated by the private sector to try and grow the economy, get investment going and lower the unemployment rate, comes under inspection with the panel debating its feasibility and outlining the objectives driving the initiation.
Leona Archery and Chris Venter discuss the measures that can be put in place to ensure that developing farmers receive adequate support from both the government and the private sector. For the best part of the last decade, government has implemented several grant programs which have still not been enough to accelerate the growth of developing farmers. The general consensus to come out of the discussion is that a vehicle of trust needs to exist between the stakeholders so that they can work together with a pool of expertise and funding required to address the problems facing developing farmers.
Later, Leona Archary speaks to Executive Chairperson of Thebe investment Vusi Khanyile to find out the extent of the importance of establishing workable models and fixed principles in ensuring community sustainability. Khanyile states that unless the local community feels that they are benefitting from the success of a farm, any success that farm enjoys will be merely temporary. He stresses the importance of investing in the land and making sure that it is in a better productive capacity when we hand it over to the next generation. Engagement with government on a local level is also highlighted as a critical component of certifying sustainability. The hostility of the youth towards farming is a problem and there needs to be interventions for youth in farming communities to get more involved in agriculture.
The next episode will continue to highlight the discussions brought forth by Nation in Conversation during NAMPO Harvest Day 2019. Catch Nation in Conversation on KykNet every Thursday evening at 18:00. Repeats are aired on kykNET, Fridays at 13:00, Saturdays at 17:30, Sundays at 17:00, Tuesdays at 16:30 and Wednesdays at 14:00.