Two of the prestigious Mediaveertjie awards presented earlier today are for the work done on popular agricultural television shows, Landbouweekliks on VIA and MegaBoere on kykNET.
The recognition to, amongst others, media personalities Ivor Price and Kabous Meiring were announced by the ATKV, a cultural organisation, on Facebook. The Mediaveertjie awards are considered the nation’s highest honours for Afrikaans media professionals.
This is Price’s fourth Mediaveertjie award. The Food For Mzansi co-founder presented the first 52 episodes of Landbouweekliks. He says, “I really did not see it coming. In fact, my mother first heard the news on the radio. Having presented the show for four seasons has been a great honour and a life-changing experience. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to have worked with the visionary people of Landbouweekblad magazine, often referred to as the farmers’ bible, as well as Brand Republic. In many ways, the show, AFGRI, the entire production crew as well as the 52 farmers I have interviewed, helped with my healing after a particularly challenging period in my life.”
Meiring, who also presents the Prontuit show on kykNET, describes the Mediaveertjie award as a great honour. Her wish is that South Africans will unite behind our farmers. “We cannot stop supporting our farmers. We must be careful of sweeping statements (about agriculturists) too. The farmers will keep on producing food, and they are always willing to find solutions. We must never doubt that the farmers are doing their absolute best.”
She adds that farmers are particularly inspiring to South Africans – especially during the covid-19 pandemic. “I’m always of the opinion that good farmers love crises. They are planners and solutions-drive, which is often why we turn to them for inspiration. Not only because we depend on our farmers economically, but also because they help us overcome many of the country’s logistical challenges.”
Meiring believes that the pandemic can either be a disaster or an opportunity to think afresh about some of the country’s challenges. “We should use it to fix some of the parts that were broken in the past, including the big inequalities. This is also a chance to act more humanely without adding further pressure to the global economy.”
Meanwhile, Price is set to return to Mzansi television screens when his brand-new show airs in July 2020. “I can’t let the cat out of the bag yet, but I’ve seen parts of it. And it is particularly moving. Besides this lifestyle show, we are also working behind-the-scenes on another show. Let’s just say the farming community will love it.”
