[:en]16 October 2015
Growth on different levels will be at the centre of a socio-economic development strategy and accord that Agri SA is proposing for the total sector. Growth with regard to business development, people development, food security and ownership security are the four proposed pillars of the strategy.
One of the important outcomes of the strategy will be the settlement of profitable new entrants to agriculture. Too many new farmers cannot produce sustainably. They form an important part of the future of the sector and the country. Thus, they need more assistance.
The international competitiveness of commercial farmers must also stand at the centre of the strategy, as these farmers is an important source that should be protected. Agri SA is not planning to re-invent the wheel with regards to such a strategy. Many workshops are planned to include the organisation’s several affiliates in the strategy, and to also heighten interest in it.
Another important aspect of the strategy will be to measure progress. Results and progress will be communicated widely. “We will have to take hands to change perceptions, and we will have to do it ourselves. No one else will do it for us,” says Christo van der Rheede, deputy chief executive officer of Agri SA.
The strategy and accord proposes different codes that farmers and role players in the sector have to adhere to. According to Neil Hamman, deputy chairperson of Agri SA’s Labour and Social Policy Committee, consolidation of codes will be very important. The codes will have to match each other, because on many farms more than one commodity is produced.
“The success of the strategy will depend on the ability of Agri SA to form partnerships with all role players in the value chain. The impact of the many projects already underway can be increased on multiple levels with better coordination. Agri SA will establish themselves as coordinator to reach this goal,” says Van der Rheede.[:za]16 Oktober 2015
Groei op verskeie vlakke sal die middelpunt wees van ’n sosio-maatskaplike ontwikkelingstrategie en akkoord wat deur Agri SA voorgestel word vir die totale sektor. Groei ten opsigte van sake ontwikkeling, ontwikkeling van mense, voedselsekerheid en eienaarskapsekuriteit moet hierin aandag geniet.
Een van die belangrike uitkomste hiervan sal die vestiging van winsgewende nuwe toetreders tot die landbou wees. Te veel nuweling landbouers kan nie volhoubaar produseer nie. Hulle vorm egter ‘n belangrike deel van die sektor en die land se toekoms. Hulle moet dus beter bygestaan word.
Die internasionale mededinging van kommersiële landbouers sal ook sentraal staan tot die strategie, aangesien die landbouers ’n waardevolle bron is wat beskerm moet word. Agri SA is nie van plan om die wiel rondom so ’n strategie te herontwerp nie, en verskeie werksessies word beplan om die organisasie se onderskeie affiliasies opgewonde te maak oor die strategie en hulle daarby in te sluit.
Nog ’n belangrike been van die strategie sal wees om vordering te meet. Resultate en vordering sal wyd gekommunikeer word. “Ons sal moet hande vat om persepsies te verander, en ons moet dit self doen. Niemand anders gaan dit vir ons doen nie,” aldus Christo van der Rheede, adjunk uitvoerende hoof van Agri SA.
Die strategie en akkoord stel verskeie kodes voor waaraan landbouers en die bedryf sal moet voldoen. Volgens Neil Hamman, vise-voorsitter van Agri SA se Arbeid en Sosiale Beleid Komitee, sal die konsolidasie van kodes baie belangrik wees. Die kodes sal moet ooreenstem vir verskillende kommoditeite, veral omdat verskeie kommoditeite en bedrywe op een plaas kan voorkom.
“Die sukses van die strategie gaan afhang van die vermoë van Agri SA om vennootskappe met alle rolspelers in die waardeketting te vestig. Talle projekte wat reeds onderneem word se impak kan veelvoudig vergroot word as dit beter belyn en gekoördineer word. Agri SA sal hulleself as ’n koördineer vestig om dit te bereik,” aldus Van der Rheede.
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