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Kwanalu

Christo van der Rheede tree af náagt jaarby Agri SA | Christo van der Rheede retires after eight years at Agri SA

English to follow:

29 September 2023

Terwyl Agri SA voorberei vir die uittrede van sy hoof-uitvoerende beampte Christo Van der Rheede, het die inkomende uitvoerende hoof, Johann Kotzé, voltyds aan boord gekom om ’n gladde leierskapsoorgang te verseker. Christo sal aan die stuur van sake bly tot Agri SA se komende kongres op 12 en 13 Oktober 2023, waarna hy die leisels amptelik aan die nuwe uitvoerende hoof sal oorhandig.

Agri SA is baie dankbaar vir Christo se bydrae tot die organisasie en diens aan die boere. Hy het in die breër sektor maar in besonder by Agri SA met vaardigheid en waardigheid leiding gegee en innoverende denke gebring na die dringende uitdagings wat die sektor in die gesig staar.

Die belang van die landbousektor en Agri SA as organisasie kon hy met waardigheid op alle vlakke bevestig met ’n loopbaan wat nie tekort geskiet het aan vernuwende denke nie.Hy het in ’n moeilike tyd van grootonsekerheid leiding geneem en dadelik ’n groot impak gemaak om boere op grondvlakgerus te stel en weer vertroue te herbou. Sy gereelde interaksie met boereverenigings en -studiegroepe is goed ontvang, wat hom instaat gestel het om sy vinger op die pols te hou oor die kwessies wat vir boere belangrik is.  Sy vaardigheidom verhoudings te bou met die presidensie en die ministervan landbou, bosbou en landelike ontwikkeling en verskeieander belanghebbendes het beide boere en landbouwaardekettingvennote bevoordeel.

Christo se loopbaan by Agri SA het afgeskop in 2015 as adjunk-uitvoerende direkteur, waar hy verantwoordelik was vir vestiging en uitbou van verskeie programme in die organisasie en groter landbou-omgewing, wat ingesluit het transformasie-, droogte-, Agri-Phakisa-, AgriSEB-en agri-ontwikkelingsprogramme. In 2020 word hy aangestel as uitvoerende direkteur van Agri SA.Onder sy leiding word Agri SA in 2022 omgeskakel van ’n vrywillige organisasie na ’n nie-winsgewende maatskappy.

Christoword erken as ’n toeganklike bedryfskenner en gesaghebbende kommentator oor landboukwessies. Deur sy volgehoue blootstelling oor verskeie mediaplatforms,slaag hy daarin om die algemene publiek se persepsieoor die sektor gunstig te beïnvloeden die waarde van die sektor as ’nvoedselsekerheid pilaar van die land te versterk.

Christo se passie vir landbou en die landbouwaardeketting het talleingrypings tot gevolg gehad wat met harde werk en deursettingsvermoë tot positiewe uitkomstegelei het. Voorbeelde van sy  volharding en bekwame voorspraaksluit in om diebeperkings en uitdagings wat deur die Covid-19-pandemie teweeg gebring is en waardeur die landbousektor direk en negatief geraak is, deur syskakeling op regeringsvlak omte draaien dié sektor as essensiële bedryf te laat erken. Ander noemenswaardigeprestasies sluit in die oopstel van die Chinese wolmark, die kollig op wanfunksionerende varsproduktemarkte, tekorte in entstowweenbiosekuriteitgapingsen sy deelname aan talle forums getuig daarvan.

Ons wens Christo ’n rustigeen vervullendeaftrede toe, met groot waardering vir sy toewyding.Christo gaan steeds deeltyds betrokke wees by verskeie landbouprojekte van rolspelers in die sektor.

Media-navrae

Jaco Minnaar

Agri SA, President

Christo van der Rheede

Agri SA, Hoof- uitvoerende beampte

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29 September 2023

As Agri SA prepares for the retirement of chief executive officer, Christo van der Rheede, incoming chief executive officer Johann Kotze has come on board full-time to continue to ensure a smooth leadership transition. Christo will remain at the helm of affairs until Agri SA’s upcoming congress on 12 and 13 October 2023, whereafter he will officially hand over to the new chief executive officer.

Agri SA is very grateful for Christo’s contribution to the organisation and service to farmers. He has led both in the sector more broadly and at Agri SA in particular with skill and dignity, bringing innovative thinking to the pressing challenges facing the sector. He took the lead at a time of great uncertainty and was immediately able to reassure farmers and rebuild trust. His regular engagements with farmers’ associations and study groups were well received, enabling him to keep his finger on the pulse of the sector and to stay in touch with the issues that are important to farmers. His deft hand at maintaining relationships with the Presidency and the minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, among other stakeholders, has benefited both farmers and agricultural value chain partners.

Christo’s career at Agri SA started in 2015 as Deputy Executive Director, where he was responsible for establishing and expanding various programmes in the organisation and broader agricultural environment, which included transformation, drought, Agri-Phakisa, AgriSEB and agri-development programmes. In 2020 he was appointed Executive Director of Agri SA. Under his leadership, Agri SA evolved from a voluntary organisation to a non-profit company in 2022.

Christo is recognised as an accessible industry expert and authoritative commentator on agricultural diseases. Through his continued engagement across media platforms, he has managed to favourably influence the public’s perception of the sector and reinforce the value of the sector as a pillar of the nation’s food security.

Christo’s passion for agriculture and the agricultural value chain has resulted in many interventions which, with hard work and perseverance, have led to positive outcomes. It was in part thanks to his tenacity and capable advocacy, for example, that the restrictions brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, which directly and negatively affected the agricultural sector, were reversed and the sector was recognised as an essential industry. Other notable achievements include the opening of the Chinese wool market; the spotlight on malfunctioning fresh produce markets, shortages in vaccines, and biosecurity gaps; as well as Agri SA’s representation in numerous important forums.

We wish Christo a peaceful and fulfilling retirement, with great appreciation for his dedication. Christo will continue to be involved on a part-time basis in various agricultural projects of role players in the sector.

Media enquiries

Jaco Minnaar

Agri SA, President

Christo van der Rheede

Agri SA, CEO