Just a few days to go! FNB and Food For Mzansi are hosting their first-ever conversation at the Royal Show, bringing farmers, agripreneurs and industry leaders together to explore what it takes to build successful commercial farming businesses.
On Thursday, 8 October, the FNB Lounge at the Royal Agricultural Society’s new showgrounds at Tweedie, near Howick in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, will host “Farming together: Collaboration that builds commercial farmers”. The free conversation will be facilitated by Food For Mzansi co-founder and managing director Ivor Price.
The event will feature an exciting lineup of voices from across agriculture, with perspectives from farmers, agripreneurs and FNB. At the heart of the conversation is a simple question: how can farmers work together to build stronger commercial businesses?
Moving beyond “support”
From 11:45 (for 12:00) to 14:00, the Royal Show conversation will focus on what meaningful collaboration between established and newly commercialising farmers looks like in practice.
The discussion will explore how established farmers can share knowledge, experience, networks and market insights in ways that create opportunity rather than dependency, while recognising the skills, ambition and resources that newly commercialising farmers bring to the table. We’ll look at how these relationships can unlock practical opportunities, from mentorship and market access to partnerships and new business networks.
We’ll also focus on the realities of growing an agricultural business, including access to finance, building a track record, securing customers and becoming finance-ready. The conversation will unpack what farmers need to have in place when approaching lenders, and the role that relationships and strong networks can play alongside the numbers.
A particular focus will be placed on how these networks and opportunities can help more women and young people move from ambition to sustainable commercial participation in agriculture.
- Attendance is free. Click on this RSVP link to let us know you’re coming. Walk-ins are also welcome on the day.
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