Empowerment

In order to continue improving its food security, South Africa must rely on the contribution of all farmers, both commercial and emerging. A project that’s making great strides in both food production and transformation in the local grain sector is Grain SA’s Farmer Development Programme.

In 2022, the ALS Group, managed by Cas Joubert, his brother Thys, and partner Johan van Rensburg, was recognised as the Agricultural Writers SA Farmer of the Year for 2022. Joubert spoke to Magda du Toit.

André Brink, 2022 Syngenta/Grain SA Grain Farmer of the Year, joined his father on Groot Phesantekraal in the Western Cape’s Durbanville district during the 1980s when interest rates were high and cash flow tight. This, he told Magda du Toit, taught him the value of careful strategic planning.

A company and a farmers’ association recently joined hands to start hemp production in Gouda in the Western Cape. They spoke to Glenneis Kriel about their plans to scale up the project to achieve commercial success.

Small-scale farmers can play an important role in developing sustainable food systems that ensure both food security and the health of the planet. Marinda Louw Coetzee reports on how these producers can and should implement regenerative agricultural practices on their farms.

Thanks to a financial boost from various public and private entities, the Majeje Citrus company will be able to fully participate in one of South Africa’s most important agricultural industries within the next five years.

Community-owned Springfontein Dairy has grown from a small concern with 150 cows to a commercial enterprise with more than four times as many animals and a higher milk yield than the regional average. On a media trip hosted by Nestlé, Glenneis Kriel spoke to the people who have played a role in the farm’s success.

Afrika Tikkun Foundation’s Agriprenuership Programme is offering youth a head-start in agriculture and related skills to boost South Africa’s food production potential, make the country more food secure and create much-needed employment.

Lesedi la Kreste Anglican Primary School in Gauteng has incorporated aquaponics into its curriculum and feeding scheme for over a decade. Susan Marais visited the school to find out more about the project.

The Agricultural Writers SA Farmer of the Year for 2021, Jan le Roux, has earned himself a reputation among his staff as a perfectionist and a stickler for detail. At the same time, he believes in giving as much responsibility as possible to his 6 000 workers in order to promote empowerment. Lindi Botha visited the Le Roux Group’s operation in the Western Cape to learn more about Le Roux’s methods for developing an efficient workforce.

After a two-year absence from the agricultural calendar, Grain SA’s Nampo Harvest Day, the biggest agricultural show in the Southern Hemisphere, is ready to make a spectacular comeback, says Toit Wessels, Grain SA’s assistant manager for marketing and Nampo.

Theo Boshoff, the new CEO of Agbiz, says that despite the many challenges facing South Africa’s agriculture sector in 2022, opportunities for growth abound. He spoke to Annelie Coleman.