Pretoria session stimulates conversation on current topics

Published: 02/11/2018

On Thursday, 1 November Agbiz hosted a half-day information session focusing on the current challenges in the policy and legislative environment, as well as developments and opportunities in the agribusiness sector. Close to 100 role players and stakeholders, representing agribusinesses, financiers, producers and agri-associations attended the event at Leriba Hotel in Centurion.


On Thursday, 1 November Agbiz hosted a half-day information session focusing on the current challenges in the policy and legislative environment, as well as developments and opportunities in the agribusiness sector. Close to 100 role players and stakeholders, representing agribusinesses, financiers, producers and agri-associations attended the event at Leriba Hotel in Centurion. 

Agbiz CEO Dr John Purchase elaborated on the current challenging and complex environment and gave more insight on organised agriculture's engagement with President Cyril Ramaphosa and the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation. Prof Ferdi Meyer of the Bureau for Agricultural Policy and the University of Pretoria focused on the investment environment and gave a commodity outlook. He stressed that South African farmers and agri-businesses have shown resilience during challenging times. 

Expropriation without compensation, Jobs Summit outcomes and other legal and policy updates were addressed by Agbiz head of Legal Intelligence Theo Boshoff, and Wandile Sihlobo, Agbiz head of Agribusiness Research, gave insights on South Africa's agricultural labour market in the context of changing farm structures.

The event programme and presentations are linked below.

Programme

Welcoming and introduction
Dr John Purchase, Agbiz CEO

BFAP 2018 Baseline: Investment environment and commodities’ outlook
Prof Ferdi Meyer, Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP)

Challenges and changes in the policy and legislative environment
Theo Boshoff, Agbiz Head: Legal Intelligence

Brief reflections on South Africa's agricultural labour market
Wandile Sihlobo, Agbiz Head: Agribusiness Research