AgriSA to champion sustainable agriculture and investment at B20 South Africa Launch | AgriSA beywer vir volhoubare landbou en belegging by B20 Suid-Afrika bekendstelling

24 February 2025

AgriSA’s President, Jaco Minnaar, and CEO, Johann Kotzé, will participate in the official launch of the B20 South Africa summit on 24-25 February in Cape Town. The event will bring together key decision-makers to discuss pivotal issues shaping South Africa’s economic future.

AgriSA is committed to engaging in dialogue on the critical issues facing the agriculture sector and the broader South African economy. In the current global geopolitical climate, AgriSA views its participation in the B20 as an essential opportunity to advocate for policies that support sustainable agricultural growth, global trade, and food security in South Africa.

“Engaging with key stakeholders at the B20 launch is important, as agriculture is a crucial driver of sustainable growth and investment,” said Kotzé. He further emphasized the importance of leveraging this global platform to address three critical areas:

1. Sustainable trade practices: “Agricultural trade between South Africa and the G20 represents 55% of our agricultural exports, worth approximately R134 billion. We must ensure that climate adaptation, net-zero transition plans, and sustainability requirements are integrated into trade conditions without compromising the African food system. South African farmers are already committed to environmentally responsible farming, and we possess various sustainability standards across many value chains. We must use these as mechanisms to enhance our efforts and demonstrate our progress. It is paramount that transition plans do not compromise the sustainability of the African food system or the future of food in G20 markets,” Kotzé explained.
2. Enhanced market access: “Global market access is vital for food system sustainability and employment in rural areas. We must address non-tariff barriers and acknowledge the role of protocols in, i.e., managing animal health challenges is critical,” he added.
3. Investment confidence: “The B20 platform presents a unique opportunity to attract investments and create growth prospects that can significantly contribute to South Africa’s economic development,” concluded Kotzé.

The B20 South Africa summit will bring together business leaders, policymakers, and global experts to address key economic challenges and shape impactful policy recommendations. AgriSA values the B20 platform, and its participation underscores its dedication to positioning agriculture as a central pillar of sustainable economic growth.

Enquiries

Johann Kotzé, AgriSA CEO

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24 Februarie 2025

AgriSA se president, Jaco Minnaar, en uitvoerende hoof, Johann Kotzé, sal deelneem aan die amptelike bekendstelling van die B20 Suid-Afrika-beraad op 24-25 Februarie in Kaapstad. Die geleentheid sal belangrike besluitnemers bymekaarbring om deurslaggewende kwessies wat Suid-Afrika se ekonomiese toekoms vorm, te bespreek.

AgriSA is daartoe verbind om in dialoog te tree oor die kritieke kwessies wat die landbousektor en die breër Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie in die gesig staar. In die huidige wêreldwye geopolitieke klimaat beskou AgriSA sy deelname aan die B20 as ‘n noodsaaklike geleentheid om te voorspraak te maak vir beleide wat volhoubare landbougroei, wêreldhandel en voedselsekerheid in Suid-Afrika ondersteun.

“Dit is belangrik om met sleutelbelanghebbendes by die B20-bekendstelling in gesprek te tree, aangesien landbou ‘n deurslaggewende dryfveer van volhoubare groei en belegging is,” het Kotzé gesê. Hy het verder beklemtoon hoe belangrik dit is om hierdie wêreldwye platform te benut om drie kritieke areas aan te spreek:

1. Volhoubare handelspraktyke: “Landbouhandel tussen Suid-Afrika en die G20 verteenwoordig 55% van ons landbou-uitvoere, ter waarde van sowat R134 miljard. Ons moet verseker dat klimaatsaanpassing, netto-nul-oorgangsplanne en volhoubaarheidsvereistes in handels-toestande geïntegreer word sonder om die Afrika-voedselstelsel in gevaar te stel. Suid-Afrikaanse boere is reeds verbind tot omgewingsverantwoordelike boerdery, en ons beskik oor verskeie volhoubaarheidstandaarde oor baie waardekettings heen. Ons moet dit as meganismes gebruik om ons pogings te versterk en ons vordering te demonstreer. “Dit is uiters belangrik dat oorgangsplanne nie die volhoubaarheid van die Afrika-voedselstelsel of die toekoms van voedsel in G20-markte in gevaar stel nie,” het Kotzé verduidelik.
2. Verbeterde marktoegang: “Wêreldwye marktoegang is noodsaaklik vir voedselstelselvolhoubaarheid en indiensneming in landelike gebiede. Ons moet nie-tariefhindernisse aanspreek en die rol van protokolle erken in die bestuur van dieregesondheidsuitdagings is van kritieke belang,” het hy bygevoeg.
3. Beleggingsvertroue: “Die B20-platform bied ‘n unieke geleentheid om beleggings te lok en groeivooruitsigte te skep wat aansienlik tot Suid-Afrika se ekonomiese ontwikkeling kan bydra,” sluit Kotzé af.

Die B20 Suid-Afrika-beraad sal sakeleiers, beleidmakers en wêreldwye kundiges bymekaarbring om belangrike ekonomiese uitdagings aan te spreek en impakvolle beleidsaanbevelings te vorm. AgriSA waardeer die B20-platform en sy deelname onderstreep sy toewyding om landbou as ‘n sentrale pilaar van volhoubare ekonomiese groei te posisioneer.

Navrae

Johann Kotzé, uitvoerende hoof van AgriSA