The Agri SA 2022 Congress centred around how agriculture can grow locally while thinking globally. This was best emulated by Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Gift of the Givers Foundation, Transnet group chief executive, Portia Derby, and Jan Oberholzer, chief operating officer of Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd. In an inspirational plea, Dr Sooliman argued that foreign investors will not have confidence in the future of South Africa if business leaders do not project confidence in their own country. Speaking from experience with thousands of ordinary South Africans working together to assist vulnerable communities, he highlighted the resilient moral and social fibre of our society. With reference to the exceptional skills that South Africans exhibit on a daily basis to overcome tough circumstances, he reiterated that we have the skills required to get South Africa back on track. He repeatedly stated that the country belongs to ordinary people and not to the government. Therefore, we should look to ourselves when trying to enact change.
In a chilling and frank overview of the state of Transnet’s rail and port businesses, the case for further investments in rail expansion and port improvements was outlined. This holds potential cost-saving benefits for farmers, as well as the optimisation of value chains. Derby highlighted the changes underway at the port which include a combination of infrastructural improvements, management efficiencies and digitisation of processes.
From Eskom’s side, Oberholzer warned that load-shedding is here to stay for the medium term. Although he had little good news, his calm and sternly worded approach evoked significant confidence in the Eskom leadership’s ability to steer the ship through the storm. He stressed their commitment to the sustainability of agriculture and indicated their willingness to engage the industry to, as far as possible, accommodate the complexities of agriculture into their load-shedding schedules and broader service offering.
In line with what has become characteristic of future strategies for agriculture, the golden thread running through the two-day congress was once again the necessity of cross-value chain collaboration and strategic partnerships with state institutions. From a SAPPO perspective, we are well positioned to leverage the network in the pork value chain, as well as in the larger livestock industry to ensure we act on the partnerships required to ensure future sustainability.
The South African Pork Producers’ Organisation (SAPPO) coordinates industry interventions and collaboratively manages risks in the value chain to enable the sustainability and profitability of pork producers in South Africa.
