Latest news with #BrendanJacobs
IOL News
15-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Agricultural innovation takes centre stage at Nampo Harvest Day 2025
Agricultural experts continue to heap praise at the Nampo Harvest Day conference, which entered the second day o in Bothaville in the Free State on Wednesday. South Africa's agricultural industry has highlighted its resilience in the face of many challenges at the 2025 Nampo Harvest Day conference, which entered the second day on Wednesday in Bothaville in the Free State. Brendan Jacobs, head of agribusiness at Standard Bank South Africa, said agriculture was under pressure from rising input costs, extreme weather events, tightening margins, and trade agreement challenges. 'Nampo Harvest Day 2025 arrives at a pivotal moment for South Africa's farming sector. This year's Nampo is more than an exhibition; it is a rallying point for real-world, farmer-led solutions. "From mechanisation and market access to financial tools and agri-tech, the event brings together farmers, agribusinesses, and financiers to explore what it will take to sustain growth and resilience across the sector.' Jacobs said the discussions at Nampo were foscused on enabling long-term resilience in the sector. He said that as trade uncertainty looms, especially around the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) and shifting global trade dynamics, there was growing urgency to expand regional trade and create new pathways for South African produce into other global markets. 'One such market is furthering trade into Africa, and we are very excited as Standard Bank to be hosting our Heads of Agribusiness from 14 other African countries at Nampo 2025," he said. "We look forward to the opportunity of connecting our South African clients with leaders in these countries in which we operate on the continent for potential opportunities and simultaneously for our colleagues from these countries to take best practices identified at Nampo back to their environments.' Jacobs said that with South Africa exporting over half its agricultural production by value, and nearly 26% by volume, the resilience of the sector depended on agility in the face of both global and domestic shifts. 'This is arguably one of the most significant years for agriculture in decades. Whether we are talking about export markets or sustainability, success will hinge on how well we align policy, innovation, and grassroots execution to support those who feed the nation," he said. Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist at the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa, said Nampo was well attended and the mood was upbeat amongst farmers when he was a panellist on Tuesday. "I also participated in a panel discussion hosted by Nation In Conversion. In front of a packed studio audience, we focused on South Africa's agriculture outlook. We covered agricultural production, trade, macroeconomic conditions, and the global political environment, among other themes,' he said. Sihlobo added that the various commodity associations, anchors of South Africa's commercial agriculture, were also present, and multiple stakeholders were engaged. 'The farm stalls would not miss the opportunity to showcase the cuisine and 'koeksisters,' amongst other delicacies, one would typically find in rural South Africa. The members of the public — young and old, established and aspirant farmers — were there in droves to feast on the Nampo activities.' Agri SA CEO, Johann Kotze, said farmers will always found opportunities and continue with what they know best—farming—regardless of what people say, locally and internationally. Visit:
Daily Maverick
23-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Maverick
SMME focus: Banks' agripreneur programmes boost jobs from seed to shelf
Nedbank and Standard Bank's agripreneur programmes are transforming South Africa's agriculture by equipping emerging farmers with skills, market access, and land partnerships. Through hands-on training and connections to major retailers, the programmes are addressing funding challenges, creating jobs, and boosting food security in communities. From the prominent shelves of major retailers to the heart of South Africa's food security, the rise of small-scale farmers and agri- small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs) represents one of the country's most urgent economic opportunities and systemic challenges. Where do these businesses originate, how do they take their first steps, and what support and skills propel them forward? The unyielding reality Despite a slight improvement in South Africa's official unemployment rate — which dropped by 0.2 percentage points to 31.9% in the fourth quarter of 2024, with 132,000 more people finding work and total employment reaching 17.1 million — the broader reality remains stark; eight million people are still jobless. Notably, employment in agriculture declined by 11,000 jobs during this period. Banking growth Against this backdrop, Nedbank has invested R169-million over the past seven years in its Enterprise and Supplier Development (ESD) programme, empowering more than 5,400 businesses, creating more than 1,000 jobs, and unlocking R80-million in new business opportunities through strategic funding, mentorship and public sector partnerships. In agriculture, the bank's support is especially impactful — the Green Agripreneur initiative, backed by R6.5-million in partnership with African Greeneurs, has helped 20 emerging farmers gain training, business support, and market access. This initiative adopts a comprehensive 360° approach, combining climate-smart agriculture with retail strategies. Participating farmers are now supplying major retailers such as Pick n Pay while mastering skills such as: How to cultivate their own vegetables effectively. Understanding their target markets and developing skills to promote themselves. Selling their produce to established retail outlets, enabling them to earn an income while honing essential entrepreneurial and farming skills. Meanwhile, Standard Bank's Agribusiness Transformation Programme, which was launched in 2019, aims to empower small-scale and emerging black farmers in South Africa, primarily in the Free State and Northern Cape. Through collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, as well as the University of the Free State, the programme has trained 223 farmers across six cohorts, focusing on sustainable, climate-smart practices, improving access to funding, expanding market opportunities, and developing agri-processing ventures. Brendan Jacobs, the head of agribusiness at Standard Bank, said that the programme's success was attributed to its practical approach, ongoing mentorship support, and the creation of a collaborative learning community among farmers. For some graduates of the Agribusiness Transformation Programme, like Paulina Siwawi, the impact is personal and profound. A former teacher who left the classroom to tackle food security in her community, Siwawi credited the intensive training and support from Standard Bank and the University of the Free State for the growth of her poultry business. Her ambitions now stretch well beyond subsistence — she plans to grow her farm to the point where she has bred 10,000 chickens and has established herself as a commercial farmer with a sustainable and profitable enterprise. Funding drought Even as banks and new initiatives step up to support South Africa's emerging farmers, access to funding remains the single biggest obstacle to growth in the sector. 'The challenge, mostly with the new startups… is funding, because when you start a business, you need capital. Without capital it's a challenge due to (costs such as) the input needed, labour costs, and transportation,' said Kobang Maluleka, CEO of African Greeneurs. Human faces of the harvest After completing the 12-month Nedbank Green Agripreneur Programme in August last year, the emerging farmers — many of whom began with little agricultural experience, were immediately helped to establish their own businesses, using the programme's infrastructure as a launchpad. This support enabled them to create jobs, generate income, and contribute to local economic growth in their communities. Daily Maverick spoke to several of these new agripreneurs, who have built viable enterprises and earned income during the programme. Yet, despite their achievements, they echoed Maluleka's concerns about the persistent challenge of securing funding to further scale their operations. Bathabile Masemola and Mfundo Madondo of Green Leafy Growers achieved notable success on their green pepper harvest from January to March this year, generating R18,000 in income collectively and creating 10 jobs. They highlighted a common challenge faced by emerging farmers: 'We have been struggling to get funding, but at least we managed to get on the ground,' Masemola said. The programme has also empowered Nothando Mlaudzi and Sibongile Moloi of MM Greenfields, who earned R68,000 collectively and created 13 jobs over three months (January to March), also through green pepper harvesting. 'We have created employment for 13 people, and in two months, we made sales up to R50,700 and we are supplying big giants like Pick n Pay and looking at getting more market and more clients,' Moloi said. Madikwe Molekoa, the owner of Phutipoyane, generated an impressive income of R250,000 and created 18 jobs through harvesting different crops for more than five months (November to March). Exit strategy Building on these success stories, Maluleka highlighted the programme's unique exit strategy, where, upon completing the programme, participants immediately take over and operate their own businesses using the programme's infrastructure. This approach focuses on developing entrepreneurs rather than employees, fostering a sustainable cycle of income generation, creating employment opportunities for those with entrepreneurial potential and alternative paths for those who prefer employment. From training to thriving The programme begins with a three-month 'activate phase' combining classroom theory and field training, followed by a nine-month 'accelerate phase' in which farmers apply their knowledge throughout a full growing season. This structure ensures that participants gain the real-world experience necessary to run successful agricultural enterprises independently. Beyond training, the Green Agripreneur Programme positions participants for long-term success by facilitating land acquisition and connecting them with funders, suppliers, coaches, and mentors. Nedbank's support spans the entire agribusiness value chain, ensuring that farmers meet rigorous standards in production, packaging, and market readiness. Farming land acquisition 'We connect the agripreneurs with various landowners,' Maluleka said. This includes traditional landowners, municipalities, commercial farmers, and government entities, as the programme itself does not own land. For instance, in KwaMhlanga, Mpumalanga, the team successfully facilitated access to 750 hectares of land through the Ndebele Kingdom, where they negotiated lease agreements, ensuring that farmers could use the land productively — transforming it into arable farmland and creating opportunities for sustainable farming. One of their roles is to act as a bridge connecting farmers to their extensive ecosystem of partners. This includes linking them with funding sources, landowners, suppliers of farming inputs, infrastructure providers, and market channels. What this means for you Your grocery choices have power. Every rand spent on these small enterprises, by buying their chemical-free produce, delivers a triple benefit: More variety: Local stores now stock regenerative, climate-smart options that meet supermarket standards, giving you greater choice. Healthier choices: Enjoy veggies that are good for you and the planet. Local impact: By buying from them, you're investing in a sustainable supply chain that drives economic growth and community development. Participation requirements The Green Agripreneur Programme is not open to everyone and is offered selectively based on specific geographic focus areas. The programme is only advertised when sponsorship is secured, allowing Nedbank to target particular regions where they want to make the most impact. For example, in one cycle, the programme focused exclusively on 10 participants from support is confirmed- often through Enterprise and Supplier Development (ESD) initiatives or Corporate Social Investment (CSI) partners- Nedbank collaborates with sponsors to identify the target programme then engages directly with the local community, advertising opportunities within that region and selecting candidates accordingly. The Standard Bank programme leverages media channels and departmental outreach to advertise opportunities and identify candidates. Farmers are systematically identified and referred by the Free State's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development as well as the University of the Free State, targeting eligible black commercial farmers and black-owned agribusinesses primarily in the Free State and Northern Cape. DM
