KCM plc announces partnership to implement scalable agribusiness alongside its copper mining operations in Zambia

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Konkola Copper Mines plc (“KCM”), a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources plc, has joined forces with AFGRI Agri Services, part of AFGRI Group Holdings, and ImpactAgri (Holdings) Ltd to develop agribusiness in Chililabombwe, Zambia.

Speaking at the launch of the initiative, KCM CEO Steven Din said: ‘KCM is one of Zambia’s leading mining companies, but our vision for opportunities on the Copperbelt extends beyond mining. We want to see the creation of new enterprises and new industries that will provide better local sourcing options for our business and greater economic opportunities for Copperbelt residents. That is why we are forming a partnership to develop agribusiness in the region.’’

The aim of the collaboration is to develop agricultural and agro-processing, and in so doing to create employment and protect the ecosystem adjacent to KCM’s mines. The initiative is a core pillar of Vedanta’s vision to help transform the Copperbelt into a strong and resilient regional economic hub that can sustain livelihoods even when copper prices are low.

1,500 hectares of land are initially being set aside for development in Chililabombwe, using AFGRI’s and ImpactAgri’s signature approach to agribusiness, which combines both inclusive farming methods and environmental best practice. A mixture of both high-value and commodity crops will be grown to cater for the local market and to penetrate higher value export markets. The implementing partners aim to create a truly sustainable, commercial, large-scale agribusiness that can deliver strong and positive economic and social impact.

Jon White, CEO of ImpactAgri, said: ‘’Often one of the biggest obstacles to developing agricultural projects in Africa is access to clean water in sufficient quantity. Thanks to the surplus of clean water coming from KCM’s Konkola mine, we have a perfect opportunity to develop local farmers into serious agri-preneurs as part of an organised large-scale, farming system.’’

Vaughan McTaggart, Managing Director of AFGRI Agricultural Development Services (ABBA) said: “We are excited to be joining forces with KCM and ImpactAgri to further our passion for catalysing agricultural production across Africa. We are confident we can make a meaningful contribution to local economic development and food security in Zambia.’’

Agritech Expo Zambia turns 5 this year

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Agritech Expo Zambia will take place from 12 to 14 April 2018 at the GART Research Centre in Chisamba. The expo returns to Zambia for the fifth time and promises new features, more country pavilions, and more free training opportunities.The event is expected to attract more than 22 000 visitors, with more than 270 local and international exhibitors, 3 500 large-scale farmers and 150 members of the media. The expo remains free to visitors that pre-register.

 

Country pavilions from France, Germany, Zimbabwe, Czech Republic and Finland have been confirmed.
“Thanks to the support of the farming community in Zambia, but also in the region, Agritech Expo Zambia has been established as a marketplace for regional and international industry professionals, young agripreneurs and farmers of all scales, to come together in 1 location to conduct exclusive agribusiness transactions while being educated on the latest global industry trends to advance into the next generation of food production,” says Emmanuelle Nicholls, Event Director.

 

The Zambia National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU) is the owner of the event and President Jervis Zimba says “it is our belief that Agritech Expo, which has become the biggest agricultural showpiece in Zambia, will continue unveiling new ideologies and technologies relevant to the growth of our farmers not only in Zambia, but also beyond, that will help lift the poor majority out of poverty; the push behind the creation of the expo. With this in mind, we are expecting an even bigger Agritech Expo in 2018.”

 

NEW FEATURES

Mowing and baling demonstrations
For the first time, Agritech Expo will be showcasing live mowing demonstrations. This new demo area is focusing on quality mechanisation for mowing purposes and will give farming professionals the opportunity to view this equipment in action.

Aquaculture showcase
Aquaculture is a growing market in Sub-Saharan Africa and the expo will be showcasing the regions’ most prominent players in this field.

Live planting demonstrations
These demonstrations will provide the opportunity for companies to practically demonstrate how products work.

Greenhouse showcase
A first-hand opportunity to see the effects and benefits of using a variety of seeds with fertilisers and pesticides to maximise yields.

Value added zone
Boosting commercial opportunities for farming operations by featuring the latest industry trends and solutions on ways to improve quality and enhance yields.

PLENTY TO LEARN, SEE AND DO

Machinery demonstrations
An exciting attraction and a great display of versatility and capability by leading machinery suppliers.

Construction park
Offers visitors a selection of quality construction equipment to suit their agricultural needs.

4×4 test track
Gives visitors the opportunity to test their skills or simply be driven around the track and experience the capability and manoeuvrability of high-end utility vehicles.

Crop trials
Visitors are able to view the yields of seeds from a variety of seed producers and respective agro-chemicals companies.

Energy park
Introduced in 2016 and offers innovative ways to get off the grid amidst the power crisis unfolding in the region.

International pavilions
Agritech has become an internationally acclaimed event, boasting over 39 countries being represented onsite year on year. In 2018, the expo expects to feature over 10 international country pavilions featuring products and solutions from global industry leaders.

Indoor expo
Showcases a variety of local and international agricultural suppliers looking to expand their footprint in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Irrigation zone
Displays a variety of irrigation systems and farming solutions, including centre pivot displays for commercial and small-scale farmers from leading industry suppliers.

Livestock zone
Incorporates various breeders who display their livestock services, species of livestock including goats, cows and sheep, as well as animal feeds and veterinary services.

Centre pivot display
Agritech Expo Zambia is the first agriculturally focused event in Africa to showcase a live centre pivot as part of the show.

AgriTeach workshops
This year the AgriTeach interactive training workshops are launched, presented by industry experts and focused on modernising small-scale farmers. AgriTeach provides access to market information, practical demonstrations and innovations from the latest financial loan models to new agricultural solutions.

Large-scale farmers seminars
Focusing on innovative solutions and initiatives to increase productivity under challenging market conditions.

SME zone
A cost-effective designed area for local based companies to participate in the event and to engage with farming professionals, without having to create a large display area.

VIP Business Lounge
Specifically geared for VIP farmers, government officials, policy makers and media officials to network and conduct meetings, directly with suppliers to the market and vendor companies.

INDUSTRY SUPPORT
Afgri and John Deere are returning as platinum sponsors with Gourock, SARO and Ursus confirmed as gold sponsors.

The expo is organised by Spintelligent, a Cape Town-based trade exhibition and conference organiser, and the African office of Clarion Events Ltd, based in the UK.

Vodacom Bulls team to face DHL Stormers in Wellington

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Snyman, Smit to start for Vodacom Bulls

 

Springboks RG Snyman and Roelof Smit will both start for the Vodacom Bulls on Saturday in Wellington when they face the DHL Stormers in a Vodacom Super Rugby friendly.

 

Snyman has returned from his club duties in Japan recently and Smit, who proved his fitness off the bench last weekend against the Cell C Sharks in Polokwane after an injury lay-off, will both be keen to make an early statement to Vodacom Bulls coach, John Mitchell.

 

The duo represented the Springboks against the British Barbarians in 2016 in a match played in London and both could play significant roles in the Vodacom Bulls pack as Mitchell moulds his squad for the forthcoming Super Rugby tournament.

 

The coach made a number of rotational changes to the side that played the Cell C Sharks in Polokwane last weekend, with the halfback pairing of Andre Warner and Marnitz Boshoff starting and Embrose Papier and Manie Libbok reverting to the bench.

 

Only Divan Rossouw (fullback), the midfield pairing of Burger Odendaal and Johnny Kotze, Hanro Liebenberg (loose forward) and lock Ruben van Heerden has been retained from the starting team, with a host of players who came off the bench in Polokwane now getting a run-on opportunity in the Wellington clash.

 

“A number of players who did not start last weekend get a change to do so this week and will get some valuable game time under the belt,” Mitchell explained.

 

“We are still building towards the start of the competition and our performance will be work in progress towards that. We know we are playing against a very capable side, but that is the whole purpose of matches like these. There is nothing on offer, but so much to learn for both sides.”

 

Kick-off in Wellington is at 16h00.

The squad is: Divan Rossouw, Andell Loubser, Johnny Kotze, Burger Odendaal (c), Duncan Matthews, Marnitz Boshoff, Andre Warner, Jano Venter, Hanro Liebenberg (v/c), Roelof Smit, RG Snyman, Ruben van Heerden, Conraad van Vuuren, Jaco Visagie, Pierre Schoeman. Replacements: Adriaan Strauss, Lizo Gqoboka, Frans van Wyk, Lood de Jager, Marco van Staden, Thembelani Bholi, Embrose Papier, Manie Libbok, JT Jackson, Dries Swanepoel, Jade Stighling, Franco Naude.

Vodacom Bulls team to face Cell C Sharks in Polkwane

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Vodacom Bulls coach, John Mitchell, named an exciting 26 man squad for the trip to Polokwane, but has not included Lood de Jager, Jesse Kriel, Handre Pollard or Warrick Gelant, who all toured with the Springboks to Europe in November.

There will also be a return to action for former Springbok captain, Adriaan Strauss. The hooker made a successful comeback to rugby for the Barbarians in November last year after a lay-off following the 2017 Vodacom Super Rugby season.

The match at the Peter Mokaba Stadium kicks off at 18h00 on Saturday.

The squad for Polokwane is: Divan Rossouw, Travis Ismaiel, Johnny Kotze, Burger Odendaal (c), Jade Stighling, Manie Libbok, Embrose Papier, Hanro Liebenberg, Thembelani Bholi, Marco van Staden, Aston Fortuin, Ruben van Heerden, Frans van Wyk, Adriaan Strauss, Lizo Gqoboka. Replacements: Jaco Visagie, Pierre Schoeman, Conraad van Vuuren, Eli Snyman, Jano Venter, Roelof Smit, Andre Warner, Marnitz Boshoff, Franco Naude, Jamba Ulengo, Duncan Matthews.

 

Vodacom Blue Bulls Team to Face Emirates Lions

Boom Prinsloo will lead the Vodacom Blue Bulls team that will travel to Johannesburg to face the Emirates Lions in a warm-up match at Emirates Airline Park that kicks-off at 15h00.

Coach David Manual included a number of players with Vodacom Super Rugby experience in the squad, including the likes of Ulrich Beyers, Dries Swanepoel, Abongile Nonkontwana and Edgar Marutlulle, but will also give playing opportunities to a number of exciting youngsters that excelled in the Vodacom Blue Bulls age group teams last year.

The squad to travel to Johannesburg is: Ulrich Beyers, Irvin Ali, Dries Swanepoel, Heino Bezuidenhout, Andell Loubser, Tony Jantjies, Ginter Smuts, Boom Prinsloo (c), Rickert Korff, Shaun Adendorff, Abongile Nonkontwana, Ewan Coetzee, Matthys Basson, Edgar Marutlulle, Dewald Maritz. Replacements: Nqoba Mxoli, John-Roy Jenkinson, Simphiwe Matanzima, Thomas Meyer, Pieter Diergaardt, Adre Smit, Oderich Mouton, Vaughen Isaacs, Lian du Toit, Garrick Matthews, Jerome Bossr, Christiaan Strydom, Earll Douwrie, Gareth Heidtmann.

VODACOM BULLS ANNOUNCE EXCITING 38 MAN SQUAD

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Vodacom Bulls head coach, John Mitchell, on Monday named 38 players as well the leadership for the 2018 Vodacom Super Rugby season. The coach named midfielder, Burger Odendaal and loose forward, Nic de Jager, as co-captains.

 

The squad is made up out of 21 forwards and 17 backs, with 11 of those being Springboks and furthermore includes a host of Junior Springboks.  Springbok Sevens forward Tim Agaba has also been included and will join the squad after the Blitzboks return from tournaments in Sydney and Hamilton.

 

Only a handful of players do not have any Vodacom Super Rugby experience, among those outside back Divan Rossouw, midfielder JT Jackson, flyhalf Manie Libbok, scrumhalf Embrose Papier and lock Aston Fortuin.

 

The Vodacom Bulls will be involved in 2 warmup matches this weekend as they take on the Cell C Sharks in Polokwane on Saturday at 18h00, and the Emirates Lions in Johannesburg earlier at 15h00.

“We have made tremendous progress with our processes over the last couple of months and we will be ready for whatever comes our way during Super Rugby 2018,” said Mitchell

 

“I don’t want to make any promises on how the team will perform this year, we will be solely focussed on the process.  It’s about marginal gains for us, stacking good stuff on good stuff daily as we continue to ensure excellence.  It’s not about the end but rather the daily effort combined at the end.  Our purpose is to fill Loftus and put smiles on people’s faces.  We will be working very hard to achieve that.”

 

“I am confident that we have worked smartly and laid a solid foundation. This squad will develop and improve and one needs to be realistic about it, but we are all in agreement about the way forward.  We will be connected, we want to be respected and not just liked and therefore one of our main focus areas during this process will be to remain honest and never forget to enjoy it and have fun.  We want to serve our fans, supporters, shareholders and sponsors – we want to earn back their respect and get the Vodacom Bulls to bind us together as one.”

 

The Vodacom Bulls Super Rugby squad is:

Outside Backs: Warrick Gelant, Duncan Matthews, Travis Ismaiel, Jamba Ulengo, Jade Stighling, Divan Rossouw.

Midfielders: Burger Odendaal, JT Jackson, Francois Brummer, Jesse Kriel, Johnny Kotze

Flyhalves: Handre Pollard, Marnitz Boshoff, Manie Libbok

Halfbacks: Ivan van Zyl, Andre Warner, Embrose Papier

Loose Forwards: Roelof Smit, Ruan Steenkamp, Hendre Stassen, Hanro Liebenberg, Jannes Kirsten, Nic de Jager, Tim Agaba.

Locks: Jason Jenkins, Ruben van Heerden, RG Snyman, Lood de Jager, Aston Fortuin.

Props: Pierre Schoeman, Conraad van Vuuren, Frans van Wyk, Matthys Basson, Lizo Gqoboka, Trevor Nyakane.

Hookers: Jaco Visagie, Adriaan Strauss, Edgar Marutlulle

 

NOTE: The BBCo would also like to confirm that we have parted ways with loose forward Jacques Potgieter after lengthy discussions on his future. Potgieter has decided not to partake in Vodacom Super Rugby during 2018, and rather take a sabbatical to focus on his family and spend time with his wife, boy and soon to be born twins.  We would like to sincerely thank him for his contributions to the team both on and off the field, and wish him well with his future endeavours. He will make an announcement later in the year regarding his future.

PUMA REVEALS KIT CELEBRATING 80 YEARS OF BLUE BULLS RUGBY UNION

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Official technical partner PUMA has unveiled the 2018 home kit for the Vodacom Bulls and Vodacom Blue Bulls, with a design in celebration of the Rugby Union’s 80 year anniversary.

PUMA has also designed a new badge, which will be positioned over the heart of the jersey and will see all the Union’s teams, from Vodacom Super Rugby all the way down to U19 Championship, play under the same badge for the first time. Giving rise to the mantra One Legacy, One Family, One Dream, One Badge, One Kit.

Paying homage to the original Bulls kit from 1938, the new outfit for Vodacom Super Rugby, Supersport Rugby Challenge and Currie Cup tournaments stays true to the blue and white strip in a two-tone manner with the front of the entire kit baring Bulls’ blue and the back a crisp white.

A 20180 graphic on the chest signifies the 80 years of heritage and will be communicated through the launch of the year-long “Our heritage drives our future” campaign, created to excite and engage with fans, consumers and customers through innovative activations as well as digital and retail executions.

 

View the campaign video here:

VIDEO LINK: https://youtu.be/UR-0Mi31eEA

“We have drawn inspiration from this 80 year milestone and forged one badge, providing the #BullsFamily with a kit that will hopefully go down in history as a must have collector’s item for fans,” said PUMA Marketing Director Brett Bellinger.

CEO of the Blue Bulls Company, Barend van Graan: ‘PUMA have once again outdone themselves in producing an awe-inspiring kit for the new season. In 2018 we celebrate our 80th anniversary, and we will be looking to pay tribute to our proud heritage. We firmly believe PUMA has truly captured the essence, and are looking forward to running out in this timeless classic ”.

The Vodacom Bulls Home Jersey will hit stores 30 November 2017 for R799 at PUMA stores, Totalsports, The Cross Trainer, Sportsmans Warehouse and selected retailers nationwide.

#BullsFamily #20180

 

AFGRI’s eAccounts platform now allows farmers to record and track rain fall measurements

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e-Accounts, AFGRI’s electronic account management system, has been enhanced to include yet another innovative feature that benefits South African farmers. The feature – the first of its kind in the agricultural industry – enables farmers to record rain fall on their lands, allowing them to keep track of seasonal rain fall measurements, and assisting in having statistics readily available for comparative purposes.

Users will also be able to upload historical data to provide handy comparisons. Moreover, the new feature is simple to use. Clients simply log into e-Accounts, select “My Farm” and then “My Rainfall”. On the menu, navigate to “Grain” and “Capture Rainfall”. Here clients can capture or upload their first measurement. This unique functionality also allows users to capture measurements for multiple farms and for multiple rain meters.

Once the information has been captured, the system generates detailed graphs showing the rain fall per farm. Users will also be able to submit feedback by clicking on “Suggestions”, allowing AFGRI to keep enhancing functionality.

e-Accounts was originally launched in 2014 by UNIGRO, the financial services arm of AFGRI Agri Services. It has since evolved into a powerful, dynamic digital channel. Not only does e-Accounts allow farmers to manage their entire business, finance and planning on one secure user-friendly platform, but has been expanded to include further agri-related functions that enable farmers to administer and manage their entire farming operations.

The rain fall measurement feature is just one such feature that has been added to the platform to make life simpler for farmers. Another is the popular grain management tool. Using e-Accounts, farmers can view the amount of grain they have in stock at the silo, as well as the amount they still need to deliver on their contracts.

AFGRI e-Accounts now has approximately 1,200 active users, with more than 30,000 logins since the launch in 2014. The largest single payment so far was more than R60 million.

AFGRI Agri Services is owned by AFGRI Group Holdings, an investment holding company with interests in agricultural and food products and services.

 

Climate-smart Agriculture: A new approach for a new reality

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As the world’s population continues to surge, there are mounting concerns about how agricultural production will cope with feeding everyone. The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that food production must increase by at least 60% to respond to the demands of the nine billion people that are expected to inhabit the planet by 2050. This has become a food security issue globally.

With many of the resources needed for food security already stretched, the challenges are huge – and are being intensified by the fact that the world’s climate is changing fast. For agriculture, change will be significant, as temperatures rise, rainfall patterns change, and pests and diseases find new areas to inhabit or spread to, all of which pose significant new risks to food and farming.

There is also a growing recognition of agriculture’s contribution to climate change, and of the means by which farming systems can adapt to cope with the changes, as well as the potential of agriculture to mitigate climate impact. This recognition has led to the concept of ‘climate-smart agriculture’ (CSA).

 Just what is CSA?

CSA is defined by the FAO as “agriculture that sustainably increases productivity, enhances resilience, reduces/removes greenhouse gas emissions where possible, and enhances achievement of national food security and development goals”.

Therefore, CSA is an integrated approach that aims to deliver food security in the face of climate change by:

  • Sustainably increasing agricultural productivity
  • Building the resilience of food systems
  • Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture

While there are several other sustainable agricultural models in place already, what is new about CSA is that it includes climate change and risks, which are happening more rapidly and with greater intensity than in the past.

CSA is more comprehensive as it strives to adopt a perspective including various other systems at play, such as landscapes, ecosystems and value chains. It also goes beyond new technologies and practices like drought-resistant varieties or precision farming. Identified CSA practices include the following, along with some examples of actions that contribute to CSA:[1]

    • Soil management: Nitrogen and other nutrients are essential to increased yields – this can be done through composting manure, precise matching of nutrients with plant needs, or using legumes for natural fixation.
    • Crop production: Crop productivity can be increased through breeding higher-yielding crop varieties, though crop and crop nutrient management, and through choosing crop species that have higher yield potentials under given environmental conditions.
    • Water management: For rain-fed agriculture, improved water management can be done through water harvesting, soil management practices that result in the capture and retention of rainfall, as well as through soil fertility and crop management innovations that enhance crop growth and yield, thus using water more effectively.
    • Livestock management: Sustainable interventions that target improved feed resources directly increase productivity. For cattle, examples include improved grazing management, using improved pasture and agroforestry species, as well as nutritious diet supplements. Similarly, interventions aimed at improving animal health, such as vaccination programmes, will also improve animal productivity.
    • Forestry & Agroforestry: Examples here include planting trees to act as windbreaks to protect adjacent field crops, reduce wind erosion, and store carbon, or as shelter for grazing livestock.
    • Fisheries & Aquaculture: For aquaculture, the emphasis is on intensifying production, improving stocks, making feeding more efficient and reducing losses from disease. More broadly across the sector, efforts should be made in reducing losses and wastes, increasing yields and productivity in fish and aquatic food processing and other areas where value can be added, and enhancing efficiencies in product distribution.
  • Energy management: Agricultural production can be increased by improving energy efficiency, and implementing the use of renewable energy sources.

 

 What are the benefits for farmers?

For farmers, weather variability brings both lucky breaks and difficult challenges that must be managed. This is especially true for resource-poor small-scale farmers in developing countries, like many in Africa. CSA gives farmers a framework for achieving increases in agricultural production despite the increasing climate variability being caused by climate change. This helps to secure both individual livelihoods and global food security.

CSA is gaining ground in South Africa – it was the topic of a workshop at the PMA Fresh Connections Conference hosted in Cape Town recently, which investigated the needs of South African agriculture. The needs identified for farmers, particularly small-scale farmers, were: [2]

  • more resilient seed varieties;
  • the importance of business planning and inclusion of youth in agriculture;
  • market access and logistics; and
  • scaling up or growing a farming enterprise, within an enabling policy environment.

The Government is currently working on a national strategic framework on climate smart agriculture for 2018.

For more information on innovation in agriculture, contact AFGRI Technology Services on ats@34.255.249.49.

 

[1] Climate Smart Agriculture – Introduction https://csa.guide/csa/practices

[2] Climate Smart Agriculture workshop at PMA Conference, Cape Town http://www.freshplaza.com/article/180702/Climate-smart-agriculture-workshop-at-PMA-conference%2C-Cape-Town

Fintech defines new trends in financial services offerings for farmers

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By 2020, consumers may not turn to banks to get the financial services they need. We are already seeing other companies invading the space traditionally reserved for financial institutions. The reason? “Fintech” – financial technology – which is innovative new technology and software aiming to compete with traditional methods in the delivery of financial services to the consumer.

For those who might not know what Fintech is, it’s simply the use of software solutions for financial transactions – global examples include Google Wallet, Apple Pay, Wonga and a myriad of other solutions that are offered online or via mobile phones. Some examples include M-Pesa, SnapScan and Nomanini, to name but a few. To indicate the scale of Fintech, back in 2014 already, investment in the US had tripled to $9,89 billion, with Europe investing $1,5 billion.

The disruption caused by Fintech has changed the banking world as we know it. The Financial services industry has been in existence since the 14th century and has always stood the test of time. However, recently it has had to adapt to keep up with the technology evolution. This Goliath has no doubt been shaken up by modern technology’s David – the Fintech revolution.

For traditional financial institutions, the risk of disruption is real, as Fintech companies use the internet, mobile phones, cloud computing and open-source software to make banking and investing more efficient. These Fintech start-ups offer existing financial services at lower costs and offer new tech-driven solutions, not previously available and driven by traditional banks. Financial institutions – both legacy and start-ups – are also driving technology-focused solutions such as peer-to-peer payments, crowdfunding, mobile payments and transfers, and on-demand insurance. Examples here include Avant, Lending Club, Qufenqi, Affirm and SocietyOne.

What does Fintech mean for agriculture?

For agriculture, the rise of Fintech means easier access to funds, new competitors in financial services and a global reach. Selling cattle or produce? Fintech and digital markets can now connect farmers directly to buyers on a mobile platform, doing away with the middleman. Important to note is that Fintech not only minimises the dependency on traditional banks as the middlemen, but increases the use of peer-to-peer lending, growing and strengthening the sharing economy model. Good examples are M-Pesa and FarmDrive in Kenya, where FarmDrive connects smallholder farmers to loans and financial management tools through their mobile phones.

In Mozambique, the Institute of Cereals of Mozambique (ICM), which is responsible for regulating and promoting agricultural production and commercialisation under the remit of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, recently joined forces with FinComEco to link agriculture to the latest financial technology.

The collaboration will develop a range of projects and high impact initiatives in the agricultural commodity markets sector. ICM, with its Mozambique domain knowledge, countrywide network of warehouses facilitating smallholder farmers, traders and buyers, will deliver commercialisation and operational capabilities. FinComEco will provide the commodity trading platform and electronic warehouse receipts capabilities, as part of the wider FinComEco model. This includes distribution of third party agri-finance and electronic banking facilitation enabled by scalable technology supported by its partner GMEX Group

In South Africa, PICSA is a ground-breaking organisation whose primary aim is to responsibly protect and assist the lower-income active population through the provision of credit solutions. At the core of their offering is the savings platform, offering members real returns by saving as little as R25 a month. Their comprehensive products scale to cater to every stage of the saving journey, thereby contributing to the financial well-being of employees in the agricultural sector.

With the pace of technology developing so quickly, it is difficult to say what the next 10 years will look like. For agricultural financial services and its customers, it may mean the possibility of loans backed by cryptocurrency – currencies such as Bitcoin, a digital currency in which encryption techniques are used to regulate the generation of units of currency and verify the transfer – by 2025. What is important though is that AFGRI as a company, the agricultural sector as an industry, and South Africa as country do not get left behind.

 

For more information on innovation in agriculture, contact AFGRI Technology Services on ats@34.255.249.49.

 

Sources:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2017/02/10/a-complete-beginners-guide-to-fintech-in-2017/#367c7d873340

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/what-is-fintech_us_58a20d80e4b0cd37efcfebaa

http://www.business2community.com/finance/5-fintech-firms-reshaping-lending-financing-01701485#bUsBMMz8YWzzADyH.97

Eastern Cape Relief – AFGRI Says Thank You

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A month has passed since devastating wildfires caused havoc in the Southern and Eastern Cape regions, claiming lives and leaving many displaced. Apart from homes and businesses affected, the destructive fires also swept through numerous farms in the Thornhill district, destroying pastures, killing livestock and leaving the farming community in dire need of aid.

Several farmers in the Free State and KZN Midlands region, as far as Bothaville, Koppies, Danielsrus and Tweeling, have generously donated animal feeds to the farms in need. AFGRI partnered with these farmers to facilitate a structured and transparent platform and process through which large-scale hay donations could be sent to farms in the Thornhill district. The feeds donation, comprising hay bales and maize rests, amounted to more than a 1000 round bales. AFGRI Grain Producers further donated maize for trading, using proceeds to fund this project.

South Africa’s agricultural community is known for its generosity, resourcefulness and genuine support of fellow farmers in need. During 2015/16, when the Free State lay stricken with severe droughts and the province declared a disaster area, Cape farmers liberally assisted inland farms. Now, as the Eastern Cape faced the trail of damage left by the blaze, Free State and Midlands farmers were returning the favour by offering their support and bringing relief through these donations to farms in distress.

AFGRI is proud to be associated with the South African farming community and wishes to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the farmers that made this generous contribution possible.

Nevertheless, the cost of transporting the bales proved the biggest hurdle to overcome. Taking the task upon themselves, AFGRI ensured the transport costs were covered by involving several industry partners and formally sourcing additional financial contributions from our suppliers and business affiliates.

The response was astounding. AFGRI Animal Feeds MD, Anina Hunter, wishes to acknowledge the following institutions for their financial contributions towards transportation: AFGRI Grain Management, AFGRI Grain Producers, AFGRI Animal Feeds, AFGRI Unigro, VD Commodities, Seaboard, Lynn Phillips Consult, Central Edible Oil, TICSA Feeds, VS Soya CC, Farmwise Grains, KWS Carriers and SCP Polycloth Manufacturers.

Feed donations from various farmers continue to come in, and we would like to fulfil the process by delivering all of the donations to the affected farms. To date, only 85% of the transportation costs have been covered. Should you wish to get involved by contributing financially, please email Phillippus Oosthuizen (Logistics Manager for AFGRI Animal Feeds): phillippus.oosthuizen@34.255.249.49.

As partner to the agricultural community, AFGRI is honoured to be involved in initiatives of this kind.