Empowerment

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.

The Better Cotton Initiative is driving sustainability among cotton farmers worldwide to ensure they can continue operating while simultaneously meeting environmental objectives. Lena Staafgard, COO of Better Cotton, and Hennie Bruwer, CEO of Cotton South Africa, spoke to Lindi Botha about the effectiveness of this international initiative at farm-level in this country.

Prof Johnnie van den Berg, an entomologist at North-West University, is passionate about insects and their critical contribution they make to the environment by pollinating plants and dispersing seeds. He is equally committed to teaching preschool children about the importance of insects.

The COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdown measures have exposed huge deficiencies in the food supply networks of the poor and vulnerable. Meyer Conradie of Mosaic Community Developments spoke to Glenneis Kriel about how his organisation is addressing this challenge in various communities.

According to Dr Alfred Tlolo Kgasi, president of the South African Veterinary Council, the transformation of the veterinary profession is a priority.

Richard Mashinini runs a flourishing commercial farm in the Free State. He spoke to Annelie Coleman about his education and the people who helped him succeed, and the uncertainty of farming on rented land.

Corona beer, which originated in Mexico, is traditionally served with lime. But when beer-brewing giant Anheuser-Busch InBev added the brand to its line-up, it encountered a problem: a shortage of limes in South Africa. This presented a novel opportunity to increase local lime production and develop new farmers.

Lusanda Moletsane runs an aggregator of small white beans from two farming clusters located in Nigel and Bronkhorstspruit respectively. She spoke to Pieter Dempsey about her passion for helping small-scale farmers become commercial producers, her success so far, and her dream for the future.

Shaun Brown, owner of Eden Agri packhouse, has brought together a group of citrus producers from the Kat River Valley to collaborate on creating a better future for the area and its people.

Women play a vital role in Africa’s agriculture sector, growing about 70% of the continent’s food. Yet Africa’s smallholder women farmers come up against various barriers that limit their potential as growers. A climate-smart agriculture project aims to provide these farmers with the skills and resources needed to boost their businesses and succeed over the long term.