Agri SA Corporate and Commodity

Conference 2019

Research for Development

24 - 25 April 2019

Value of commodity organisations for farmers

Focus areas

Transformation

Production related information

Training /Labour-social accord

Relationship Building-Gov/NGO

Agri SA©2019

Trade-Certification/Standards

Market development

Research and Development

Bio security-SPS

The current environment on a global level

• Disruptive technology – Artificial intelligence, merger between info tech and biotech as well as automation

• Moving from an exploited and working class to a class of the irrelevant

• Climate change and threating ecological collapse• Droughts and famine in developing world

• Irregular and weather phenomena

• Sustainable- Regenerative practice - CA

• Wave of populism and nationalism in the Western world against the background of growing disillusionment with liberalism-shift to conservatism

• Fuelling social division and political instability

• Does it offer any solutions to disruptive technology and climate change

• Massive unemployment, increasing poverty and extreme inequality

• Low economic growth

• Heightened social and racial tensions

• Political uncertainly

• Policy uncertainty about land reform

• Weak SOE’s

• Rural decline and urbanisation

• Institutional decline and corruption

• Weak water infrastructure and droughts

• Impeding legislation

The current environment on a national level

Notions to accept

• Political ambiguity and uncertainty will not stop in the foreseeable future

• Isolationist and protectionist political behaviour does not provide us with answers on the shared challenges of the future

• The coming disruptions will threaten the core modern values of liberty and equality. Any solution with have to involve cooperation. However, populist rhetoric and socially as well as racially divisive behaviour will hamper cooperation.

• “ The cost of being wrong is less than the cost of doing nothing”

Seth Godin

Response to create opportunities in agriculture

• Partnerships

• Collaborative digital platforms

• Think tanks

• Value chain inclusivity

• Reform rural education

• Decentralised food systems

• Blockchain and financing

• Biotech and infotech

• Support organised structures

Conclusion

• If organised agriculture is weak, our sector will be weak.

• Our competitiveness is undermined by our inability to harness the resources in our institutions and to strengthen research-level cooperation in the private sector.

• We do not have the luxury of expecting that the failing state institutions will recover in the short term.

• Our skills on all levels are tested in discomfort.

• We need to own our destiny and swiftly coordinate work in our commodities, strengthen partnerships with academic institutions and with stronger like minded organisations.

• The idea is the to collaborate, not duplicate.

Enjoy the conference

THANK YOU