Senwes Scenario Oktober / November 2019 | Page 28

nuus • news NUUS| NEWS allegaartjie The speakers of the Agri NW 2019 Congress. From left to right: Willem De Chavonnes Vrugt (Agri NW President), Pierre Vercueil (Agri SA Vice President), Prof. André Duvenhage (NWU Campus), Dan Kriek, (Agri SA president). Front: Wandile Sihlobo (Agbiz chief economist). Vrystaat Landbou vereer produsente  Deur Aubrey Kruger Senwes Senior Joernalis VANJAAR WAS DAAR groot opgewon- denheid met die aankondiging van die top landbouverenigings en streeksverteen- woordigers in die Vrystaat. Dit was tydens die trots Senwes geborgde 2019 Vrystaat Landboudinee wat in Augustus in Bloemfontein plaasgevind het. Die nuwe Streeksverteenwoordiger van die Jaar is Bernard Maree. Willie Weich was die vorige twee jaar die wenner. Daar was ook groot afwagting vir die drie wenners in die Boerevereniging van die Jaar kompetisie. Vanjaar het Steynsrus Distriksboere-unie almal uitgestof om die titel op te raap en het in die proses vir Agri Hertzogville onttroon, wat die titel vir twee agtereenvolgende jare gewen het. Louis Koch (voorsitter) het die wennerstrofee namens die distriksboere-unie ontvang. Vir Steynsrus was derde in 2017 en tweede in 2018. Agri Hertzogville was tweede en voor- sitter Gys Olivier het die toekenning in ontvangs geneem. Willie Maas (Jr), jong voorsitter van die Karee Boere­vereniging, het hul toekenning vir die derde plek ont- vang. Die titels is oorhandig deur Francois Wilken (President: Vrystaat Landbou), Tommie Esterhuizen (Vise-Voorsitter: Vrystaat Landbou) asook Danie Minnaar (Voorsitter: Senwes direksie). Agri NW are doing things right  By Kefiloe Manthata Senwes Journalist THE ANNUAL AGRI NW CONGRESS took place on 18 September 2019. The theme was “Doen die regte dinge en doen hierdie dinge reg (do the right things and do these things right). Willem de Chavonnes Vrugt, Agri NW president, started off his welcome address with an appeal for unity. “We need to lose our preconceived ideas, fears, hatred and differences and recognise the shared challenges that we have to overcome together,” he said. Political analyst Prof Andrè Duvenhage, gave a thorough analysis of the South African political climate and the effect it has on agriculture. He stated that the agricultural industry will be well advised to co-operate in creating a new macro- economic structure for SA. This calls for strong leadership. It also calls for clear policies and a decisive move from govern­ ment. He added that the time has come for agriculture in South Africa to consoli- date and mobilise support and not conti­ nue with the political divides of the 80’s. These statements were supported by Dan Kriek, Agri SA President. He stressed the importance of unity among farmers and called for them to remain steadfast in ensuring that there are no divisions. He said that farmers need to do whatever it takes to keep their production secure. While he acknowledged that uncertainty about land expropriation is still prevalent, he also said that we must remember that South Africa is still a constitutional democ- racy and the constitution has not yet been changed. Wandile Sihlobo, Chief Economist at Agbiz, shared his perspective with focus on meaningful increase in productivity and competitiveness at farm level to promote sustainability. He added an analysis of the current agricultural economic trends, poli- cies and opportunities. Willem De Chavonnes Vrugt was re-elected as Agri NW President. TLU SA ondersoek volhoubaarheid as ’n oplossing DIE 2019 TLU SA KONGRES het op 18 September by die WNNR Internasionale Konferensie­sentrum in Pretoria plaas­ gevind, met Senwes as een van die trotse borge van die kongres. Vanjaar se tema was Volhoubare Landbouproduksie – Uitdagings en Geleenthede. Die sprekers was Ulrich Joubert 26 (Ekonoom), dr Philip Theunis­sen (Rekenmeester en Landbou-ekonoom), Juanita Vorster (Veranderings­kundige) en Terence Corrigan (Projekbestuurder by die SA Instituut vir Rasse-aangeleenthede). Louis Meintjes, die President van TLU SA, het herhaaldelik bevestig: “Die land- bouketting kan nie oorleef sonder die SENWES SCENARIO | SOMER • SUMMER 2019 kommersiële landbouprodusent nie. Ons moet ook werklik volhoubaarheid as ’n oplossing najaag.” Omri van Zyl, Uitvoerende Direkteur van Agri SA, het beklemtoon dat die tyd nou is: “Die toekoms van ons land gaan in die volgende vyf jaar bepaal word. Dit kan ek verseker vir julle sê.”