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“ This move to neighbouring markets was almost a natural progression as the company grew ,” Vermaak says .
“ Our venture to other countries beyond South Africa is usually on the back of existing clients that moved to farms in these countries . We have always made ourselves available for business and the company footprint increased .
“ Africa is not an easy place to work . We have paid loads of school fees , and still do . “
Agriculture must be a priority
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Vermaak is an Afro- Optimist , mostly .
He says Africa ’ s era is indeed dawning , if one looks at all the positive aspects with realism . “ Africa has loads of potential . Africa has land , and Africa has water ( not a lot , but very little is being utilized ). “
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The caveat is that a balanced and responsible approach needs to be taken in the planning and development of agricultural projects .
“ African leaders must make agriculture a priority . Agriculture can employ large amounts of unskilled labour and through this the sector really does assist in poverty alleviation . Agriculture projects such as the Susili Kulpawn Irrigation System in Ghana are good examples of projects that operate as commercial farms , but have a strong focus on teaching and empowering of local farmers ,”
However , Vermaak cautions contractors wanting to work in Africa that the risks are higher than working locally .
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He elaborates : “ Distance from South Africa is a challenge – for instance , you cannot just run into Builders and buy something that was missed , lost or stolen . You have to have contingency plans for everything . Many countries |
also do not speak English , and in those countries communicating is a challenge .
“ Also if you work in Africa as a company , you also must be prepared to support your designs and installations in these remote areas .”
Inyoni Africa has a strong and comprehensively talented team , rich in skills , and attuned to working in remote regions .
Great team
“ We have many skills within our company that cover the various aspects and challenges of working in Africa . On the engineering side , we have a civil and agricultural engineer . We also have SABI Approved irrigation design capabilities . We further have technicians certified in pivot construction . On the administration side we have a comprehensive team giving us admin support including an inhouse customs clearing system , accountants , buyers and clerks .”
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These skills are complimented by a “ huge investment in IT and modern technologies ”. Working “ anywhere , anytime ” is an apt description of Inyoni Africa ’ s staff .
“ Our staff are all geared to be highly mobile . By employing modern technologies , we can work effectively from almost anywhere in the world .
“ Notably , we also have phenomenal site agents and personnel . These guys spend weeks and months away from home , sometimes under very difficult conditions ,” elaborates Vermaak .
Inyoni Africa has irrigated over 40 000 ha in Africa thus far . The majority of their developments have been for sugar cane , but there have also been large developments for macadamias , tea , maize etc .
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