We understand that the perfect farm takes passion, dedication and sometimes just that little bit extra, and that’s why AFGRI is proud to support South Africa’s emerging farmers through our training and development programme, Harvest Time Investments.
With over 90 years of experience in the agricultural sector, AFGRI understands what it takes to be a successful farmer, and with this in mind, launched Harvest Time Investments in 2012 to unlock the potential of farmers and their farms through training, development, and mentorship.
As part of the initiative, study groups and trial sites are used to demonstrate new technology such a precision farming. Mentors and agronomists are on hand to share practical information and knowledge and offer insight that comes from many years of experience.
However, the mentorship is arguably the most valuable component of all – by working directly with the emerging farmer throughout the process, AFGRI’s mentors, working with teams from GeoAgro, AFGRI’s precision farming division, and its agronomists, are able to assist the individual to enhance his/her yields. This puts the farmer in a good position to increase yields and grow more crops, ultimately helping him or her to become the successful commercial farmers of tomorrow.
Understanding that grain marketing and price hedging are also an integral part of a successful farming operation and of the profit earned from different crops, AFGRI assists new era farmers with Grain Management services, and farmers are taught to understand the basics of the futures market. They are thus able to use this knowledge to hedge prices in the future. Farmers are also provided with basic business skills training.
Finally, the programme provides finance to farmers and exposure to the latest technology and farming best practice.
Through organised Farmers’ Days AFGRI continues to expand the horizons of new era farmers and will always, as it has done for over 90 years, be with the farmers, for the farmers.
