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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.”