African Farming, a proud print, digital and TV brand extension of the agricultural magazine Landbouweekblad, will host the Grain and Crop Farmers’ Day in Senekal.
It is aimed at empowering farmers, whether they run emerging or seasoned commercial operations, to become more sustainable and profitable.
This empowerment workshop will be held at the Driekoppen Farm (Masiu Farming Enterprise) on 9 June, from 08:00 until 14:00.
Through this event, African Farming will highlight the sector’s role and illustrate its importance in the local and global market. Experts and farmers will offer insight and advice on a range of topics, and explain how small changes to farming operations can have a significant impact on the bottom line.
Attendees will not only be afforded the opportunity to share with one another, over a meal, the strides they have made under difficult circumstances; they will also learn from other fully-fledged farmers in the grain and crop industry.
Valuable lessons will be relayed by Oujan “OJ” Masiu of the Masiu Farming Enterprise in the Marquard district about how he turned his grain and crop farming processes into a thriving business.
Johan Kriel of Grain SA will share information on Grain SA’s farmer development programme, while Nkosana Mtambo of Mtambo Boerdery will impart knowledge on how crop rotation and diversified farming can set farmers up for success.
Included in the panel are speakers of Santam Agriculture and John Deere Finance.
Apollo Bomvana, assistant commercial manager of Landbouweekblad, said the experts would highlight the importance of agriculture as a driver in food security, a contributor to South Africa’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, an exporter in the socio-economy, and major employer in the country.
South Africa has approximately 32 000 commercial farmers, of which 5 000 to 7 000 produce approximately 80% of agricultural output.
The Free State is an important primary producer of numerous commodities. In the previous planting season, it produced 45% of the national maize crop, 56% of the sunflower crop, 41% of the soya crop, 26% of groundnuts, 23% of sorghum, and 44% of dry beans.
About 40% of the national production of white maize, mainly used for human consumption, and 38% of yellow maize, mainly used for animal feed, is produced in the province.
According to a Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) report of 2020, on a census of commercial agriculture, in 2017 the Free State had the largest number of farms (7 951 farms or 19,8% of the national total), followed by the Western Cape (6 937), North West (4 920) and the Northern Cape (4 829).
Tickets to attend the Grain and Crop Farmers’ Day in Senekal cost R120 at computicket.co.za, Shoprite or Checkers.
For details about the event, call Bomvana on 067-217-0190.
