Day three of Nation in Conversation 2026 at NAMPO Harvest Day shifted the focus from production challenges and policy discussions to one of the agricultural sector’s most powerful tools: its narrative.
The session, “Driving Agriculture’s Narrative into Action”, explored whether agriculture’s story is truly influencing public perception, policy and meaningful action, and what the sector needs to do differently to ensure its voice reaches beyond the farming community.
The discussion brought together media experts, economists and agricultural leaders, including Helena Wasserman, Professor Johann Kirsten and Nick Serfontein.
Serfontein, better known as the businessman and producer who wrote an open letter to the President that sparked national discussion around agriculture, said there are many positive stories in the sector that genuinely make a difference, but that negative stories often carry the same weight.
The conversation repeatedly returned to the question of how agriculture communicates with the broader public and why those stories matter.
According to Helena Wasserman, agriculture often weakens its own message by framing every challenge as a crisis.
“Every crisis is also an opportunity,” she said.
She added that people eventually become fatigued by constant negative news, making it increasingly difficult for important messages to break through.
The panel agreed that agriculture needs to become better at sharing stories of progress, innovation and hope, while still engaging honestly with the sector’s challenges.
One example raised during the discussion was the contrast between industries within agriculture itself. While the citrus industry experienced an exceptionally strong year, red meat producers faced severe pressure because of foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks.
The discussion highlighted the importance of creating balanced narratives that acknowledge challenges without allowing them to completely define the sector.
The panel also explored the deeper question behind agricultural communication: why are these stories being told in the first place?
Whether the goal is awareness, education, trust or hope, panellists agreed that the sector needs to communicate with greater clarity and purpose.
Professor Johann Kirsten stressed that agricultural narratives are shaped by far more than facts alone. Ideology, politics, religion, economics and personal experience all influence how people interpret information and engage with agriculture.
The role of media and social media also formed a major part of the discussion.
Panellists agreed that traditional media generally focus on issues considered to be in the public interest, while social media creates a very different challenge because information is often shared without verification or accountability.
The session concluded with a strong call for more constructive engagement between agriculture, the public and policymakers. The panel agreed that the right stories need to reach the right audiences and that conversations like those taking place at Nation in Conversation remain important because they create space for informed, balanced and meaningful discussions about the future of agriculture.
Nation in Conversation 2026 continues at NAMPO Harvest Day, with support from partners including Grain SA, Nedbank, and Senwes, as well as several businesses within the Senwes Group operating across the agricultural value chain.