Roadshow 2019
Last week Kwanalu President, Greytown strawberry farmer Andy Buchan, and CEO, Sandy La Marque, together with six heads of the Agri SA team, including President Dan Kriek, travelled all over KZN meeting with farmers in Pongola, Dundee, Gingindlovu, Pietermaritzburg, Swartberg and Paddock as part of Kwanalu’s 2019 Roadshow.
At each meeting the Kwanalu and Agri SA teams presented to farmers on the future of agriculture, the working structures within the organisation and the role these structures play at Government level in influencing policy decisions. Farmers also had the opportunity to ask questions and interact directly with the leaders of agriculture in the country.
Dan Kriek, Agri SA President, spoke to farmers about the importance of remaining focused on the business of farming and not being distracted by the politics of the day, or the negative role the media plays in affecting attitudes and confidence in the sector. He highlighted four main risks for farmers he identified as threats to the sector.
1. The safety risk – Kriek encouraged farmers to stand together and to look out for each other and their employees.
2. The economic risk – Kriek advised farmers to not to focus on the negative rhetoric of the day but to rather focus on the business of farming.
3. The political risk – Kriek encouraged farmers not to be distracted by politics and politic-ing
4. The risk of being disorganised and a lack of commitment to the sector. Kriek encouraged farmers to get involved and to work together in organised agriculture
Talks were presented by the head of each of Agri SA’s Centres of Excellence:
Christo van der Rheede, the Deputy Executive Director at Agri SA informed farmers of the structures at Agri SA and the role the organisation plays at policy level. Read his presentation here
Annelize Crosby, the Legal and Policy Advisor at Agri SA and Head of Land Centre of Excellence discussed the issues of EWC and land reform. Read her presentation here
Janse Rabie, Head of Natural Resources at Agri SA, spoke to farmers about Agri SA’s role in ensuring agriculture’s voice is loud and clear at decision making level. Read his presentation here
Jahni de Villiers, Head of Labour and Development at Agri SA spoke to farmers about the latest developments in labour laws and specifically the National Minimum Wage. Read her presentation here
Requier Wait, Head of Economics and Trade at Agri SA, informed farmers on where SA’s agricultural sector sits on the world economic scale, the role the agricultural sector plays within SA’s economy and on the economic future of agriculture. Read his presentation here
Sandy La Marque, CEO of Kwanalu presented on behalf of Kobus Visser, head of Safety at Agri SA.Read the presentation here
Kwanalu would you like to thank all the farmers who took the time to attend these meetings and for their valued input, valid questions and for the feedback the team has received. The Kwanalu team enjoyed meeting with all those who attended; to view images of the Roadshow click here.