Power FM presenter and MD Andile Khumalo was host to a panel which included In Transformation Initiative's Roelf Meyer; Land Bank's Loyiso Ndlovu; Afgri CEO Chris Venter, Producer Herbert Mabuza and Charles Rossouw from the Rossouw Family of Companies.
The big news from this dynamic session is that Roelf Meyer has left the industry on tenterhooks by saying: “the good news is that we are in-fact going to launch something soon that will make a huge difference, the Landbank will be the anchor.”
This cryptic clue was made in response to the panel's consensus that a centralised institution needed to be created to provide co-ordinated assistance to transformation initiatives along the entire agriculture value chain.
The session was preceded by video clips of various successful transformation initiatives in agriculture covering a selection of commodities as well as being situated in various parts of the country.
Herbert Mabuza shared his heart-warming journey from former Sunday Times editor to successful commercial farmer. “For me the decisive factor was being assisted by the farmer who would only sell me his farm on condition that I understood farming and he was willing to teach me; and I was also able to rely on hands-on mentorship from Senwes.”
Afgri's Chris Venter said Afgri was involved with many transformation initiatives. “I have not come across one farmer that is not willing to help, we need to embrace that good will.”
Loyiso made the point that there is money available for transformation in the fiscus, but added that “we need to look at a blended funding approach that includes government and the private sector. End to end business support is the key risk-mitigating factor in financing these projects,” she said.
The panel was extremely positive about the way forward and it was agreed that agriculture was at the starting point of engaging in meaningful discussions now with real outcomes to address the challenges it faces in terms of transformation.
Download the Nation in Conversation App at www.nationinconversation.co.za for the full broadcast schedule to watch this riveting episode in full.
The series celebrates its fourth year being broadcast from Nampo and has seen the conversation on the importance of agriculture being widely spread via various mainstream media outlets such as KykNet, 702/Cape Talk, Soweto TV, Business Day TV and many others. The series is also available via YouTube.
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Issued by:
Marlon Abrahams
Communications Manager
Tel: 0184647349
Cell: 0764129717