NEWS
Senwes Future Focus Day
celebrates 15 glorious years
The future is within you
It was like looking into the future through a crystal ball at the 15th annual Senwes
Future Focus Day which was held on Wednesday, 5 September 2018 at Nampo Park near
Bothaville.
By Aubrey Kruger
Senwes Scenario Editor
A
nd, contrary to what you may
think, the crystal ball looked
backed at the attendees,
indicating that personal devel-
opment is the key to success. Jannie de
Villiers, Executive Manager of Grain SA,
said: “Be brave and be willing to learn.”
Thabo van Zyl, producer and non-ex-
ecutive director of Senwes, added that
agriculture can be compared to team
sports: "As long as you play with B-team
players, you will play like a B-team player.
Surround yourself with A-team people and
organisations and you will do business
like an A-team player.”
As in any sport, you will not be able to
control all aspects. Brian Angus, the pio-
neer who brought the Japanese Wagyu-
breed to SA, added: “Ignore the aspects
which you cannot control. Young farmers
must not hesitate to plant and be positive
about the land and land issues. Food has
to be produced.”
In the end it boils down to your good
points. Director of the Peritum Group,
Emmie Pietersen, said: “Simply ask your-
self the following question: What are my
four or five talents that I can apply pos-
itively? And improve on it ". Thabo van
Zyl added: “If you don't know where your
own weak and strong points are, you will
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SENWES SCENARIO | SUMMER 2018
not know who to surround yourself with in
order to fill the gaps.”
"It is not merely about being positive -
do things because you want to (passion),
not because you have to", said Phillip
Retief, Chief Executive Officer of Van
Loveren.
It soon became evident that there is
not only one recipe to follow and that
there is more than one correct answer.
"Choose today to use the wind to build a
mill, rather than a draught screen. In this
way you can make a difference", said Dr.
René Uys, Director of Thinking Fusion.
Senwes Chief Executive Officer,
Francois Strydom, said in his opening
address: “Opportunity and risk are the
same thing, but on different sides of the
same coin.” He also cautioned: “Don't
stare youself blind into the same wall as
your neighbour or the media. South Africa
belongs to us all, so let's make a success
of it.” This was corroborated by Deon
Bergh, Grain SA member of management,
who said that producers should take cour-
age!
All the guests and speakers had high
praise for Senwes for the unique oppor-
tunity to enjoy an evening with the young
farmers and specialists. We are looking
forward to the next 15 years, Senwes
Future Focus!
A few winners were
announced at this year's
Senwes Future Focus Day.
JP van den Berg drove
away in a brand new John
Deere Ride-on E110 lawn-
mower, the first prize in
the lucky draw. Louis van
der Westhuizen was the
second prize winner of a
R10 000 voucher spon-
sored by Hinterland and
Giepie Rossouw won the
third prize - a Certisure
product voucher to the
value of R5 000.