With Africa’s population set to double by 2050, experts say the continent must replace traditional farming methods in favour of modern technology. African agricultural industries have been hampered by multiple problems, including lack of best agricultural practices, high input costs, climate change, poor land tenure systems, and limited access to financing.
Public and private sectors are starting to invest more effort to transform Africa’s agricultural landscape. They include; modernizing farm operations through innovative technologies like digital software, drones and precision farming tools, investing in agro related & value-added processing industries, and upgrading post-harvest storage facilities to boost farm productivity.
Agco Africa provides mechanization for key agriculture project in Mozambique – www.agrifocusafrica.com
Zimbabwe government signs a US $50m deal with John Deere for tractor supply – www.farmersreviewafrica.com
Precision farming taking off in South Africa – www.futurefarming.com
Lots of growth strategy plans have been announced by the African government authorities in setting up new farm lands to promote commercialization of the agricultural sector.
Commercial farming is garnering interests from local and international investors due to the emerging food processing sector which creates a strong market for farm owners.
Poland to invest in Tanzania’s agriculture sector through irrigation farming – www.farmersreviewafrica.com
Chinese companies explore investment opportunities in agriculture and livestock sectors in Ethiopia – www.fareasternagriculture.com
Korean to invest 133bn /-in coffee plantation and processing plant – www.ippmedia.com
Attend 6th Commercial Farm Africa Summit in Nairobi to address key challenges & explore new opportunities in this sector.
Key Sessions:
- LMC forecasts price trends in grains, oil crops, cash crops
- KENYAN MINISTRY OF LIVESTOCK, FISHERIES & AGRICULTURE presents country’s agricultural transformation & growth strategy
- OLAM INTERNATIONAL assesses the impact of African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AFCFTA) on agriculture
- SGS shares how data capturing can enhance overall profitability of a farming operation
- Case studies on application of regenerative agriculture for today’s climatic context by SOIL CAPITAL
- [INTERACTIVE SESSION] Multistakeholder Dialogue: Access To Innovative Financing
- KIPKEBE LTD on boosting the bottomline through farm mechanization
- NOBEL AZANIA INVESTMENTS features a case study of large scale sisal farming in Tanzania
- AFRO-TSION FARM reveals coffee plantation & processing plant investment projects in Ethiopia
- HORIZON PLANTATION assesses the potential of commercial farm investment in Ethiopia
- HYDROPONICS AFRICA speaks on revolutionizing crop farming through hydroponic systems & responsive drip irrigation
Sign up now with
grace@cmtsp.com.sg for early bird discounts. Send a group of 3 to enjoy further discounts.
Whether farming on one hectare or 100, the basic principles remain the same and hard work and dedication ensure results. Small scale farmer Nelly Thabisile Lubisi says being an example to her children that there is money in farming is what pushes her to succeed.
When Nelly Lubisi was allocated 3,9ha of land in a tribal area known as Fig Tree by the Hoyi Trust Village chief in the Tonga region of Mpumalanga in 1994, she planted maize as a subsistence farmer to provide food for her family. “I got just enough for home consumption. There was nothing left to sell and bring in an income.
“Then we were approached by RCL FOODS’ sugar division in Malalane to start growing sugar cane as they could provide market security for the cane. The profitability would also be far higher than maize, which meant we could earn an income.”
The farmers within the Fig Tree Farmers’ Association then worked closely with RCL extension officers to establish the sugar cane, and Lubisi absorbed every word of advice she received, eager to transform her piece of land.
She later inherited her father’s land allocation of 12ha and now farms sugar on two properties, totalling 15,9ha. The irrigation infrastructure and costs are shared among all of the farmers within the farmer’s association and contractors are used to apply fertiliser and cut the cane at harvest time.
Lubisi said that her life has changed since switching to sugar cane. “When I was planting maize we only had enough to eat at home, not enough to sell. Since earning an income from the cane, I have been able to send my children to school and build a house. Our quality of life is far better.”
Unfortunately the land can’t be extended beyond what the chief has allocated to her, so Lubisi needs to make the most from the small piece she has, putting in all her efforts to achieve the maximum yield. With a yield of 130 tons per hectare and an RV of between 12 and 13, her hard work pays off.
Evans Mashego, senior agricultural business advisor for the South African Cane Growers’ Association in Mpumalanga, said Lubisi was one of the strongest sugar cane farmers he has ever worked with. “She proves to other women that it is possible to be a successful female farmer. She is an inspiration and has a can-do attitude, with no plans to stop farming any time soon, despite her age.”
At 54, Lubisi farms full time and apart from the work done by the contractors, is a hands-on farmer, with her fingers deep in the soil. “I really enjoy farming, regardless of the crop. I love working with the soil, out in the fresh air,” she smiles.
The secret to a good crop was following the ‘recipe’ step for step and ensuring that everything that needed to be done was done on time, she added. “If you don’t stick to your plan, things go wrong and you will see it in your yields. Fertiliser needs to be applied at certain times, weeds removed and water applied regularly.”
Mashego said Lubisi had mastered her plan for a good crop. “She makes an effort to attend whatever classes are offered to the farmers from SASRI (South African Sugarcane Research Institute) where she can improve herself.
“She’s not lazy and she’s always here on the farm, in between her cane, so if there is a problem, like this morning when the irrigation was not working, she can attend to it quickly. Other farmers who only get to their land every few weeks would have suffered enormous losses by then.”
While Lubisi has challenges like theft, fires and stolen irrigation pipes, she shrugs her shoulders and says that since there is nothing that can be done about it, she just has to carry on working hard.
If farming is in your heart, then you will succeed, she believes. “It’s about your attitude and good management. I know my hard work pays off at the end of the day and what I earn is directly attributed to how much effort I put in.”
When Lubisi receives her income from the cane she calls her three children closer to show them the money. “Then they can see with their own eyes that there is money in farming – even if some people say there isn’t. Everything we have today is a result of the income from the sugar cane. So I take my children with me to the fields and show them how it is done so that they can take over one day. They help with the harvest and are well prepared to farm.”
Co-Hosted by AIPEX, CACIAAS and Cape Media Corporation
Cape Town International Convention Centre
26 & 27 September 2019
CAPE TOWN – With less than two months to go, the countdown has officially begun for the inaugural Agri-Business and Eco-Tourism Forum, Angola-South Africa, to be held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) on 26 and 27 September 2019.
Co-Hosted by the Angola Private Investment Agency and Promotion of Exports (AIPEX) and the Angola South Africa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CACIAAS), the inter-continental event is all set to promote trade and investment in southern Africa.
Distell, South Africa’s leading producer of wines, ciders and alcoholic beverages, has committed to support the event in terms of a sponsorship.
Distell Angola’s Managing Director, Filipe Barros, says Distell has been operating successfully in Angola for the past 20 years and when AIPEX and CACIAAS started talks about hosting a conference that would promote and facilitate foreign private investment and future business relationships between Angola and South Africa, it was a no-brainer that the wine and alcoholic beverages giant would throw its weight behind the event.
“Distell started off doing business in Angola by sending containers with small quantities to the country. Over the years we kept on improving the business and growing it and in 2007 we set up a commercial office. We are creating jobs, growing the local economy by sourcing local raw materials, packaging materials and we are transferring know-how, thus also helping the national GDP. Our objective at the moment is to establish a factory and to start local production.
Image: Filipe Barros, MD for Distell Angola
“Angola is a good market and we have done very well in the country. Our brands are known. What Angola has going for it is the fact that the GDP is good. This, combined with a strong buying power, strong demographics and a varying population, makes it a good space to invest in,” says Barros.
According to him, it is important for investors to note that, since the new leadership has taken over the country, the new milieu allows for more connectivity and networking, which is good for doing cross-border business.
Barros challenges other South African companies, especially those operating in Angola, to fully support the upcoming conference as he believes that any form of support to promote and facilitate foreign private investment, especially for agri-business and eco-tourism projects, will be of benefit to all role players.
Robert Arendse, MD for Cape Media Corporation (CMC), the event organisers, says this is exciting times for trade and investment between the two countries.
“This is the right time for South African companies interested in doing business in Angola to reach out. Supporting the success of this high-level conference in any way possible should be the first step in that direction,” says Arendse.
Parties who are interested in supporting the event in terms of sponsorships, can contact Venesia Fowler at venesia@capemedia.co.za.
For more information or any media related questions relating to Inaugural Agri-Business and Eco-Tourism Forum, Angola-South Africa, please contact RedLip PR:
Casey van Niekerk
casey@redlip.co.za
+27 82 214 7582
Kelly van der Poll
kelly@redlip.co.za
+27 84 863 8741
Building a successful business from sugarcane farming right now in South Africa, according to new generation farmer Dirk Novais, requires a fine balancing act between diversification, cash flow management and growth, while keeping debt levels as low as possible.
At the height of one of the worst droughts in living memory, Dirk Novais set out to build his dream of becoming a farmer by buying a 112ha farm on the banks of the Pongola River in Northern KwaZulu-Natal.
Dirk Novais and Theuns Theunissen, the SA Canegrowers regional manager for Northern Zululand and the Elephant Coast, with a 12-month-old sugarcane stalk.
With his wife Jolani, a degree in economics and risk management, a diploma in business management, and perhaps most valuable of all, a two-year stint with one of South Africa’s biggest commercial farmers, BP Greyling, the youngster started out just three years ago on what he calls his “piece-by-piece” expansion of the farm business.
“When I arrived on the farm there were 78has under irrigated sugarcane. The rest of it was lying fallow,” Novais said.
Today the farm boasts 20ha under macadamia orchards, 70ha planted to sugarcane and 2ha under vegetables, with plans for further expansion as cashflow allows.
Cane yields have increased from an average of 80 tons a hectare to between 100 and 110 tons a hectare.
Novais grew up in Pongola and attended boarding school in Ermelo, and said when he graduated from university, he just knew that going to work in the city wasn’t what he wanted to do.
It was in discussion with an old school friend that the pair came up with a plan. “I was at school with Ghini Greyling. His dad is BP Greyling – one of South Africa’s mega-farmers – and he agreed to take me under his wing and teach me about farming. The experience I gained there was invaluable,” Novais said.
The next step was to raise enough money for a sizeable deposit for a property. As luck would have it his mother owned a piece of land under timber, which Novais undertook to sell.
“My mom had tried to sell the land for a long time. I struck a deal with her that if I sold it, I could use the money as a deposit on a farm for myself. My mother is an accountant and she helps me now as bookkeeper for the farm. She is fantastic, and we work really closely together,” he said.
That he is able to expand his business without servicing high levels of debt is a massive plus. “If you don’t have debt and you farm well, then 50ha of land is enough to live on. The other important aspect to keep in mind is not to grow too much too soon, but to manage the growth while balancing cash flow at the same time. There are some months where I don’t draw a salary at all. My tractors are old and my bakkie is paid off. I have a long view of what I want this farm to look like, so I am prepared to make those sacrifices,” he said.
Pongola farmer Dirk Novais
With scheduled water from the Bivane Dam, about 80% of the farm made up of rich, red soils and the rest “pure rock”, the young farmer first set about replacing all of the pumps to ensure water pressure was consistent. He installed a centre pivot irrigation system. He pulled out the sugarcane that was worst affected by the drought and replanted with some of the newer varieties, like N49 and N57: the rest are still the older varieties, such as N36 and N23.
“My endgame is to have 40ha planted to macadamia trees. It is a balancing act because I also have to manage my water allocation. At the moment my macadamia trees are small, so they use about 5% of the water that is used for the sugarcane. As the macadamia trees mature and take up more water I will pull out more sugarcane,” he said.
With an “I don’t give up until I succeed” attitude, Novais said his progress thus far could be attributed to the support and assistance of other successful farmers in the district, the fact that he bought a going concern with potential, and his attitude towards hard work.
“I knew nothing about sugarcane when I arrived here. But before I started I was privileged to have farmed for Andre Barnard at Mhlati Farms. Also, I had learned about crop farming from my time with BP Greyling, so I just applied those basic principles here. The farmers in the district were so helpful and supportive. But, to be honest, I just jumped in. It was sink or swim.”
By 2030, Novais says, his aim is to have doubled the value of his asset and within five years, to have halved his debt.
“It is hard getting into farming: the risks are high and it’s big money. But my focus now is to prioritise those activities that make money and then later think about things like new tractors. Land is very scarce here in Pongola and very expensive. But I am not scared to struggle and one of my strengths is to persevere until I get a thing right.”
And despite the challenges, which include the crisis in the sugar industry and the massive hike in input costs, particularly fertiliser, labour and electricity, Novais says he has no regrets.
“I could move overseas like so many others have done, but South Africa is my home. I am not prepared to focus on the negatives and I am not someone who is prepared to give up either.”
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With a degree in economics and risk management, Dirk Novais says while he develops and improves his farm, managing cash flow through a diversity of crops, like beans and chillies, is essential.
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Young macadamia trees on Dirk Novais’s farm outside Pongola in Northern KwaZulu-Natal.
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Dirk Novais sugar cane fields.
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Dirk Novais says his ultimate aim is to have a good balance of crop diversity on his farm, which includes a comprehensive planting of macadamia trees.
“Generating Energy, Electricity & Biomass Export in Africa!”
Quoting from a recent interview by Engineering News Online, EDF senior VP for Africa Valerie Levkov said, “As an example, she cites wind energy as a good solution for South Africa, whereas a biomass solution would be more suitable for a country such as Côte d’Ivoire, given its biomass potential.”
Each country in the continent has its own particular needs, financial capabilities and natural resources can be leveraged for sustainable renewable energy development.
Levkov further suggests that African countries should strongly consider biomass projects in the renewable energy space, adding that, on average, one biomass project can create up to 1 000 jobs in a rural region when taking into account the biomass supply chain.
“This is a very good example of the circular economy, where you bring in a lot of value first by developing a clean [or renewable] energy project and then by creating sustainable jobs and revenues for the local communities,” she says.
CMT’s 3rd Biomass Trade & BioEnergy Africa offers insights from two perspective – local development of biomass to electricity to meet the energy needs and potential trade/export opportunities of woody and agricultural biomass from Africa to the demand markets in Europe and North Asia.
Highlights:
Opportunities to utilize biomass & agricultural residues from Cocoa, Tea, Oil Palm as alternative renewable energy source in Africa
Promoting & funding options & strategies – Who, What, How
Case studies on industrial biomass boilers & cogeneration plant operation
Matching biomass availability with energy demand hotspots
From plantation to markets – biomass pellets/briquettes production & economics
Export prospect for African biomass
Supply chain development for wood pellets, biomass briquettes & PKS
The 1.5 days agenda aim to facilitate strategic partnerships amongst stakeholders such as biomass resources owners with the renewable projects developers, ECAs, engineering and turnkey solution experts, biomass and biofuels buyers and traders. Delegates will get a clearer view on the resources competition landscape and identify new opportunities.
Register with your team today at www.cmtevents.com to enjoy group discount. Contact huiyan@cmtsp.com.sg for more information.
Click here for more event information – https://www.cmtevents.com/aboutevent.aspx?ev=190921&
