Late registrations are now being accepted for the fourth Annual AFASA Young Farmers Summit (AAYFS) on 21 and 22 August 2019 at Leriba Lodge in Centurion. This is the annual go-to event for the young movers and shakers who are shaping Mzansi’s farming and agripreneur spaces.
Besides a powerful line-up of speakers, this year’s summit also includes the first ever AFASA Youth Leadership Awards, honouring youth representatives who have not only shown commitment to agriculture but also contributed notably to the organisation’s growth.
Nono Sekhoto-Iga, the CEO of GrowthShoot and AFASA Youth Chairperson, says limited spaces are still available for progressive farmers and agripreneurs who are between 18 and 40 years old. She describes the upcoming agricultural summit as “the perfect place” for those who are ready to take their farms and related enterprises to a new level whilst building invaluable networks with other young farmers and stakeholders.
She adds, “The summit provides a rare opportunity for young farmers to participate in high-level discussions with leading agricultural stakeholders to understand the industry better. They can also share their experiences to help stakeholders understand them better and access opportunities to grow their farming businesses in a tough economic climate.”
AFASA Youth has also managed to secure Polo Leteka, a sought-after entrepreneur and private equity investor, as the keynote speaker. Leteka, who is the chairperson of IDF Capital, has done groundbreaking work to create greater access to finance for black entrepreneurs and women-owned enterprises.
Sekhoto-Iga says, “This is the first time we have a woman as our keynote speaker. Through IDF Capital, Leteka facilitates access to finance for high-growth businesses and she was also one of the judges on the South African version of internationally-renowned reality TV show Dragons’ Den.”
Other speakers at the Annual AFASA Young Farmers Summit (AAYFS) include the who’s who of business and agriculture in the country. Dr. Vuyo Mahlati, who has just led Pres. Cyril Ramaphosa’s land reform advisory panel, is set to open the summit in her capacity as AFASA President.
The official conference theme is “Harnessing technology to grow profitable farms” with top experts serving on various panels, including Matthew Callot-Stevens from Gordios Farms, Matthew Piper from Khula, Bridget Evans from the SAB Foundation and Thabi Nkosi, an agribusiness investment strategist.
Top agricultural economist Wandile Sihlobo has also confirmed his attendance to talk about the agricultural outlook in the economic climate. Sihlobo is the chief economist at Agbiz and a commissioner at the International Trade Commission of South Africa.
Sekhoto-Iga is also pleased to announce the involvement of Corteva Agriscience, a leading innovator in agriculture, material science and speciality products, as the main sponsor of the Annual AFASA Young Farmers Summit (AAYFS). Other event partners include Standard Bank, Land Bank, SAB Foundation and Food For Mzansi.
Last chance to register
Young farmers who still want to register have to hurry up to avoid disappointment as only 70 delegates are accepted. Registration to the two-day summit includes meals and one night’s accommodation, which includes breakfast and dinner. All summit attendees will receive a nifty conference pack and a specially designed AAYFS 2019 T-shirt.
To register, click here.
More information on www.afasa.org.za.
