Food For Mzansi is celebrating nine years of people-centred agricultural storytelling with something new: #FFM, an agribusiness monthly built for the boardroom as much as the farm gate.
The first issue is out now. It packs 50 pages of news, features, profiles and practical advice into a glossy, personality-driven read aimed squarely at agribusiness professionals, farmers and decision-makers across the value chain.
But Price is quick to point out that the milestone belongs to far more than the publication itself.
“None of this would be possible without the extraordinary team at Food For Mzansi. Their creativity, dedication and sheer determination have carried us through nine years of telling stories that matter. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built together.
“And then there are the thousands of South Africans who have trusted us with their stories over the years. Big stories, small stories, stories of triumph and heartbreak, of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Every single one has helped shape who we are today. Without their voices, there would be no Food For Mzansi.”
Kobus Louwrens, executive director: strategy, growth and finance at Food For Mzansi, adds, “Nine years ago, we set out to build something that would make a meaningful difference to South African agriculture.
“Today, we’re reminded that Food For Mzansi has always been about something bigger than ourselves: the people, partnerships and shared belief in the future of this country.
Kobus Louwrens
“To everyone who has believed in us, challenged us, supported us and helped us grow, thank you for being part of our story. We’ve achieved so much together, but I genuinely believe the best chapters are still ahead, for all of us.”
A mover and shaker on every cover
Every #FFM magazine cover will feature an agribusiness mover and shaker. First up is Zama Sangweni, the Soweto-raised agricultural economist at Absa who turns commodity prices, input costs and weather data into insights farmers can act on.
In a candid interview, Sangweni talks about the aunt and late mother who lit the way for her, the hard lesson that talent is not the same as skill, and why she believes South African farmers are not just resilient but “outperformers”. She also names the risk she thinks the sector is underestimating: climate shocks and global events that are more interconnected, and harder to predict, than ever.
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What’s inside the launch issue
The Feed. A two-minute catch-up on the stories moving the sector: diesel doubling in a year, the smallest wheat crop in eight years, AGOA’s uncertain future, Namibia’s foot-and-mouth outbreak, the Gulf push for South African exports and more.
Agri-influencers: changing the game or chasing likes? Vateka Halile asks farmers and an agricultural advisor what social media fame really means for farming, and where the picture stops matching the reality.
From 50 to 350 hectares. #FFM follows the money behind the Mcambalala maize project near Cofimvaba in the Eastern Cape, where mining investment and a guaranteed buyer aim to lift yields on communal land from 3 to 7 tonnes a hectare.
Dry summer ahead. Raylentia Simmons unpacks the South African Weather Service’s El Niño outlook, with six steps experts say farmers should take now.
Money, risk and compliance. Patricia Tembo (Cand.Sci.Nat.) and Agricast Advisory Services’ Siziphiwe Jojo break down how to compile a winning agribusiness plan, while Stephan Pietersen of Work Accident Support explains why COIDA may be the cheapest insurance a farm will ever pay.
Lifestyle. The issue also road-tests the BYD Shark 6, a powerful new bakkie, and meets Ricardo Slawers, the La Motte head baker who became the first African Bread Sommelier with a thesis on the humble mosbolletjie.
Meet The People’s Journalist. #FFM also turns the spotlight inward. Award-winning journalist Vateka Halile, known in the newsroom as The People’s Journalist, shares her journey from Cofimvaba in the Eastern Cape to a national byline.
Read #FFM now, absolutely free!
Every edition of #FFM is completely free to read. Get connected and never miss an issue:
- Read the #FFM flipbook – Prefer the flipbook experience? Click here to flip through the pages online.
- Get #FFM delivered to your mailbox every month – Click here to sign up and get #FFM sent to you as soon as it goes live.
- Join our WhatsApp channel– Click here to get the latest stories and updates delivered straight to your phone.
- Follow Food For Mzansi on LinkedIn – Click here to join the conversation with South Africa’s agricultural and agribusiness community.
Want your brand to be part of the next chapter? Businesses looking to connect with South Africa’s agribusiness professionals and decision-makers in future issues can contact sales@foodformzansi.co.za to explore advertising and partnership opportunities.
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