AFGRI’s advanced milling processes cater to individual customer needs, from GMO and non-GMO certified maize products to a wide array of wheat products. Our Identity Preservation Programme (IPP) ensures traceability from farm to consumer. Plus, with FSSC 22000 certification, Halaal, and Kosher accreditation, we guarantee not just quality, but safety in every piece of grain we process.
AFGRI is proud to announce that we are the headline sponsor of the inaugural African Farming Agri-Development Imbizo, taking place on February 8-9, 2024, at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg, Gauteng.
Founded in 2020, African Farming strives to promote black commercial farming in South Africa by providing informative and inspiring content, and creating platforms to help farmers develop and grow. This is its first annual Agri-Development Imbizo, which hopes to INSPIRE, EMPOWER and INFORM agriculture leaders – young and old – TODAY to find game-changing solutions for a food-secure South Africa TOMORROW. The theme is “Create a better future through inclusive growth and shared success”.
In hosting this event, and through our sponsorship, African Farming will create an action-driven platform for agriculture development that combines public and private interests, finance institutions focusing on development, agribusiness investors, and other key players. The two-day event will facilitate interactions, linkages, and collaborative efforts within the industry and will provide an opportunity to connect with and empower the next generation of agricultural change-makers.
During the Imbizo, more than 250 farmers, entrepreneurs and industry leaders will meet to network, discuss, and find solutions and strategies to overcome barriers related to finance, markets, skills and training, and project development. This platform will connect willing investors with potentially profit-making agricultural ventures, and highlight available opportunities.
New-era farmer development is important for sustainable transformation in the agricultural sector, which AFGRI is 100% committed to. Read more from Lemang Agricultural Services* MD, Praveen Dwarika, about our approach to ensuring farmer development in South Africa: tinyurl.com/4w6na2mk
* Lemang is AFGRI’s new-era farmer training and development division.
Operasionele bestuurder van AFGRI Equipment se Suidstreek, Abri Visser, gesels oor AFGRI se eksklusiewe reeks produkte, soos by NAMPO Kaap ten toon gestel. Dit sluit in die nuwe reeks AFGRI-spuite vir boord- en wingerdgebruik, ‘n nuwe Rovic-planter en voermenger, Silo King.
In last week’s episode of African Farming, the MD of AFGRI’S Lemang Agricultural Services’ division, Praveen Dwarika, talked about how diversification is good for your business.
The seasonality of farming production means seasonal income and inevitable cashflow constraints. However, diversification offers income year-round. But how do you go about diversifying a business that already exists?
Dwarika says diversification is important if you want to farm successfully.
“Investment advisors always talk about a diverse investment portfolio. What that essentially means in a farming operation is making sure you have income streams coming from different types of productions.
“You may have crop production and within that perennial crops and short-term crops. You could also have livestock consisting of for example, small stock units or large stock units. All of this will provide an income at different times of the year.”
When a farmer develops his diversification plan, there is a criteria he should look at.
Dwarika emphasises that a farmer should constantly be planning.
“It’s always good to be thinking about a diversification strategy. Naturally you must wait for the right time to execute it.”
It should also be proactive. “Look out for the warning signs and understand what is happening in the market, and with environmental factors. Use that to determine when you want to execute your new strategy. Your finger needs to be on the pulse at all times.”
Farming well is all about timing.
“Your plan can be implemented at any time during the season, depending on exactly what it is that you want to do. However, the important bit is planning so that you have recourses available and are able to manage the plan accordingly.”
This is especially important if you want to implement a plan that is heavily reliant on financing.
“You don’t want to end up in a situation where you tie up the farm’s finances by suddenly switching to a diversification strategy.”
Centurion, 31 August 2021 – Philafrica Foods (Pty) Ltd. (“Philafrica”), a subsidiary of AFGRI Group Holdings (“AFGRI”), has sold its Soya Oil Crushing Plant, which trades in the market under the names Nedan, Marathon, Soya Ya Ka, Promax (soya oil cake), effective 31st August 2021.
The business will be owned by a newly registered company called Nedan Oils & Proteins (Pty) Ltd. (“Nedan”), which is majority owned and controlled by Gold Keys International (Pty) Ltd. For over 25 years, Goldkeys International has imported, prepacked, distributed, and marketed grain and pulse products throughout South Africa. Currently operating in Rice, Sugar, and Sugar Beans, Goldkeys is pleased to expand its presence into the soya bean value chain.
Naeem Adam, Chief Operating Officer of Goldkeys, said of the acquisition, “The acquisition of Nedan is in line with our strategy of category expansion. We are excited to partner with a strong management team led by Richard Dettmer and will continue to support the growth strategy of the business. Best-in-class quality and optimal service levels to our customers will remain the priorities of Nedan.”
Philafrica’s sale of the soya oil business is motivated in part by the overall strategy of AFGRI Group to focus on its core business, which involves providing leading agricultural services to South African farmers, ensuring a food secure South Africa.
Joel Bryce, Chief Investment & Strategy Officer of Philafrica, explained that “Philafrica and its majority shareholder AFGRI Group Holdings are quite pleased to sell our oil crushing plant to a values-aligned buyer, who will continue to support the Mokopane plant, its customers and employees. While we still believe in the soya value chain in South Africa, the transaction made sense to the Group in light of our refocused strategy.”
For any questions, please direct questions to Joel Bryce at philafricafoods@philafricafoods.com
On 7 June 1997, 15 men pulled on a light blue jersey with a daisy over their hearts, ran onto the grass of Loftus Versfeld, and pushed back the might of northern hemisphere rugby on a day the British and Irish Lions have never forgotten.
For the first and only time, the mighty British and Irish Lions were beaten by a provincial rugby team. But the truth is that those 15 men in blue that day will be the first to tell you that the Vodacom Bulls is no ordinary provincial rugby team.
In honour of that 35-30 victory, the Vodacom Bulls have launched a new version of the jersey worn that day. It’s the same light blue colour that is as synonymous with a sports team as the red kit of Manchester United or the iconic white vest of the Chicago Bulls. And this piece of sporting history is being made available by Vodacom for #TrueToTheBlue fans to purchase exclusively through the Vodacom Bulls App from 25 April, for a reduced price of R650.
It’s a decision by Vodacom that has brought a smile to the face of Casper Steyn, who 24 years later is still stopped in the street and asked, “Aren’t you that man?”
Martin Johnson’s British and Irish Lions certainly remember “that man” well. It was Steyn, the left wing and goalkicker for the Vodacom Bulls that day, who led the dismantling of a red machine that was expecting to sweep all before it on the rugby fields of South Africa. Until they arrived at Loftus.
“In the changeroom before that match, we were reminded by our coaching staff exactly who we were playing that afternoon,” recalls Steyn, who that day scored 20 of his team’s 35 points with a try, three conversions and three penalties.
“These were great players you had read about, and now you were playing against them. Staring them in the face. I mean, here was Tony Underwood who plays for England, and here I am running out against him at Loftus. For a lot of us in the Bulls team that day, it was a great honour. And it felt quite surreal. Last week you’re playing a Currie Cup game, and then suddenly this week you’re playing the British and Irish Lions.”
Steyn says that at the core of everything they hoped to achieve that afternoon was the famous blue jersey they wore.
“I was nervous as hell. I was the rookie on the team that day compared to some of my more experienced teammates. You don’t know what’s going to happen when you run out onto that field. But we all wanted to give a good performance. As individuals, and as a team. We wanted to keep the Bulls name high. You grew up loving that blue jersey and wanting to wear it. I remember in 1991 how as a 17-year-old I went with my dad to watch the Bulls play Transvaal. And it was at that match that I told my dad, ‘I want to play for this team.
“And then when I did get the chance, my first match was against the Lions at Ellis Park. I remember the build-up. Here were Springbok legends such as Reuben Kruger, Joost van der Westhuizen and Krynauw Otto, and when we pulled on the blue jersey they were my teammates. That was unbelievable for me. You’re on the bus to the game and you are one of them because of that blue jersey.
“That jersey will always stand out for me, and the loyalty it inspired. You played rugby just to be able to wear that blue jersey. To me, it literally felt like you played for that blue jersey and what it represented. As a team, you took your knocks in that blue jersey, and you fought your battles in it. You wanted to be better in that jersey, and to not let your teammates down. I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything in the world.”
Years later, and the current generation of Vodacom Bulls stars feel the same.
When wing Cornal Hendricks was given his first exclusive look of the new Vodacom Bulls jersey, he knew exactly what it represented even though he was only a teenager when Steyn and the Bulls dismantled the British and Irish Lions.
“This jersey goes back a long way. The colour reminds us all about the teams before us and the players who wore this before us. It feels great to represent this proud union in this traditional jersey. I think the former Bulls players will really feel a lot of pride as well, and it will bring back a lot of memories for them.”
Memories of a Saturday in June. At a stadium in Kirkness Street, Pretoria. And of a day when 15 men pulled on a light blue jersey and held back a rugby empire.
