“South Africa is a global agricultural powerhouse [but] what do we need to do to gain global traction? How will we ‘grow local’ and build local communities. Exporting globally is the recipe for a competitive country [and] we already have the playbook.”
This is the view of Wesgro chief executive Wrenelle Stander who spoke at Agri SA’s annual congress today. While acknowledging the remarkable resilience of the agriculture sector, she expressed concern over deteriorating infrastructure, load shedding and protests impacting the country’s economic stability.
Stander questioned whether enough was being done to shield the sector and its players. “Have we, and are we continuing to invest sufficiently in future resilience? Are we investing enough in export competitiveness to grow and sustain the agricultural sector.”
Attendees of the Agri SA congress, currently underway in Pretoria, had the power to make decisions that would benefit future generations. This includes implementing climate-friendly practices. “Climate change is the next global crisis. How are we as governments, organisations and business alike preparing ourselves for this reality?” she asked.
Furthermore, Stander explained that exports allowed farming players to reach larger markets with stronger buying power. Also, given different seasons, it allowed the country to mitigate conditions at home.
She believes the ability to access larger and diversified markets allowed Mzansi’s agricultural sector to invest and create local jobs, while also mitigating local market conditions.
“Are we, as government and support organisations, doing everything in our power to ensure that our farmers can access and compete in key global markets and support the growth of local communities? To stay in the game, we need to compete with global competitors in a digitised decarbonising world.”
Stander also underscored that sustainability, adaptation and resilience were buzzwords for global competitiveness and changing climate patterns were driving farmers to mitigate and adapt.
“Climate commitments, investors and consumers are driving changing business behaviour to decarbonise,” she said. “Sustainability is no longer a tick box exercise, sustainability is the strategy.”
A message from Ramaphosa
Meanwhile, agriculture, land reform and rural development minister Thoko Didiza addressed Agri SA congress attendees. In her brief address, she said the farming sector survived tough times in the past two years. This was in part due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“[Covid-19] enabled us to look at innovations and other means to make sure that our exports continue. Working with the Netherlands government, we were able to bring in e-certification. I think that’s one of the exciting measures that emerged during the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Responding to farmers’ issued raised by Agri SA, the minister vowed to continue engaging with organised agriculture and other role players.
“Even though we may differ at times on policy and regulation, we still find a way to engage and find some [kind] of solution, maybe not as swiftly on certain areas, but we finally get there. We must work together … because, indeed, none of us can succeed without each other.”
Didiza also delivered a speech on behalf of President Cyril Ramaphosa who could not honour his commitment to address Agri SA attendees. The president was pleased that the Agriculture and Agro Processing Master Plan (AAMP) was high on the congress agenda.
“I’m also pleased to know that this congress has its theme, ‘growing local.’ Just as we seek new markets for our agricultural exports, we have to look at ways of replacing imported agricultural produce with those that are locally produced,” Ramaphosa wrote in his speech.
It was a lost opportunity to import produce and goods that could be produced domestically, said the president. This was a lost opportunity, not only for the expansion and growth of the sector, but also job creation initiatives.
ALSO READ: Agri SA congress: ‘Reduce reliance on imports’
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