5
4
Review and strategic objectives
Terugblik en strategiese oogmerke
ʼn Jaar waarin fundamentele
hoekstene geskud is
D
ie verslagjaar was een met baie uitdagings vir Graan SA
en sy lede. Jy glo dat jy in beheer is van jou omgewing en
alles wat 'n invloed daarop het, maar dan word dit wat jy
as die fundamentele sien, deur faktore buite jou beheer geskud.
In sulke situasies kan 'n mens nie toelaat dat emosies jou besluite
oorheers nie; jy moet rasioneel dink. Dit is hier waar 'n organisasie
soos Graan SA waarde tot sy produsentelede se besigheid kan
toevoeg deur namens hulle te onderhandel vir 'n beter bedeling.
Grondhervorming
Politieke uitsprake oor die drastiese hervorming van landbou-
grond wat gedurende die jaar onder oorsig en opnuut in
Januarie 2015 gemaak is, het die plaaslike graanbedryf én
die groter landbougeheel opnuut daaraan herinner dat die
stert nie die hond swaai nie. Produsente voorsien voldoende
en veilige voedsel aan die land, maar ons kan nie wegkom
van die realiteit dat die meerderheidsparty die mag het om
besluite te neem en uit te voer nie.
Dié gebeure het die graanbedryf wakker geskud en die
besef sterk na vore gebring dat ons ingesteldheid teenoor
grondhervorming ruimte moet laat vir innoverende, proaktiewe
en inklusiewe oplossings. Die afgelope jaar het groot eise aan
Graan SA gestel om hierin ‘n bydrae te lewer. Gelukkig kan ons
sê daar is reeds planne op die tafel.
Bykans 40% van my kapasiteit is die afgelope jaar aan
grondhervorming gewy, terwyl ‘n mens nie uit die oog moet
verloor nie dat Graan SA ‘n kommoditeitsorganisasie is waarvan
die kernbesigheid grane en oliesade is. Dit help egter nie ons
kernbesigheid is graan sonder grond nie. In graanproduksie is
die klimaat ‘n besliste onsekerheid – en so ook die ekonomie
wat insetkoste betref. Hoewel vraag en die kos wat die mense
en diere moet kry seker is, is grond as basis tans baie onseker.
‘n Doeltreffende produksieklimaat en landbougrond as fabriek,
is twee fundamentele sake wat beide inherente onsekerhede
inhou. Beide aspekte het vanjaar heelwat aandag geverg.
Strukture in landbou
Georganiseerde landbou en eenheid in landbou het duidelik
nog nie ‘n eindbestemming bereik nie al is ons op pad daarheen.
Met die eenheidsforum, ASUF, as vertrekpunt is die voertuig en
strukture waarmee landbou die toekoms moet ingaan stadig
maar seker besig om vorm aan te neem. Dit sal na verwagting in
die komende jaar nuwe momentum kry.
Vaardighede en mentorskap
‘n Ander groot moment wat ek wil uitlig, is die energie, hulp-
bronne en fokus wat Graan SA in die vaardigheidsontwikke-
ling van ons produsente, leiers en personeel investeer. Hier val
die klem nie net op tegniese vaardighede nie, maar ook op
die sogenaamde sagte vaardighede, soos die hantering van
konflik, diversiteit en hoe leierskap hulself in nuwe omstandig-
hede moet handhaaf. Hulle kan hierdie vaardighede effektief
benut tot die produsent se voordeel in hul onderhandelinge
met regeringsamptenare en insetverskaffers.
Heelwat energie is in die Graan SA/Syngenta Graanakademie
belê en die Jong-leierslaboratorium gaan voort om die waarde
van mentorskap in ons jong graanleiers se lewens te vestig.
Ons moet met ons verhoudinge, netwerke en vaardighede
saam oplossings vind vir belangrike struikelblokke soos
grondhervorming en herstrukturering.
Heelwat van Graan SA se personeel is tans besig om verder te
studeer. Omtrent al die personeel in die Finansiële Departement
is besig met BCom- of GR-graadstudies. Talle van ons personeel
volg tans kursusse en/of diplomakursusse. Ons het dus ‘n hoë
premie daarop gesit om ons vaardigheidspoel te verbeter.
Herstrukturering van navorsing
Navorsing geniet deurgaans ‘n hoë prioriteit. Dr Marinda Visser,
bestuurder van Graan SA Bedryfsdienste, het ‘n stuk dinamika
gevestig deur graanspesifieke navorsing te diversifiseer en
dit sodoende oor die spektrum van die bedryf te integreer.
Dit bring mee dat navorsers van verskeie instansies vir hierdie
organisasie en sy produsente werk.
Die projek wat dr Hendrik Smith met ‘n bewaringsbenadering
dryf, is om van produsente navorsers te maak, want dan kry jy
die werklikhede wat op grondvlak gebeur makliker en vinniger
in die hande en produsente skakel eerstehands by navorsing in.
Graan SA se fokus om volhoubaarheid te bewerkstellig deur
klimaatsverandering inag te neem, het ‘n nuwedimensiegebring.
Die hele bewaringskonsep en droogteverdraagsame kultivars het
vanjaar verder na vore getree. Voedselveiligheid – met die fokus
op mikotoksiene – is die ander saak wat aandag begin vereis. Iets
wat my in besonder opgeval het, is hoe gevorderd die navorsing
is. Op die oomblik doen jong navorsers dinamiese navorsing oor
biotegnologie in plante. So is ons besig om jong kapasiteit te skep
wat op die nuwe biotegnologie fokus. Dit gee my hoop dat ons
genoeg kos vir die land sal kan produseer.
A year in which fundamental
cornerstones shook
T
he year under review contained many challenges for
Grain SA and its members. You believe that you are in
control of your environment and everything that affects it,
but then factors outside your control shake what you regard
as the fundamental principles. In such situations you cannot
allow your emotions to rule your decisions; you have to think
rationally. This is where an organisation like Grain SA can add
value to the business of its producer members by negotiating a
better dispensation on their behalf.
Land reform
Political statements on the drastic reformof farm landmade in the
year under reviewandalso in January 2015 once again, reminded
the local grain industry and the greater world of agriculture that
the tail does not wag the dog. Producers produce sufficient and
safe food for the country, but we cannot escape the reality that
the majority party has the power to make and carry out decisions.
These events shook the grain industry and made us realise that
our attitude towards land reformmust leave room for innovative,
proactive and inclusive solutions. The past year made great
demands on Grain SA to contribute to this. Fortunately we can
say that there are plans on the table already.
During the past year almost 40% of my capacity was spent
on land reform, and one should not lose sight of the fact that
Grain SA is a commodity organisation whose core business is
grains and oilseeds. However, a core business of grain without
land would be useless. The climate in grain production is
definitely one of uncertainty – as is the economy with respect
to input costs. Although demand and the food needed by
people and animals are secure, land as base is currently very
insecure. An effective production climate and agricultural land
as factory are two fundamental matters that both contain
inherent uncertainties. Both aspects required considerable
attention during the past year.
Structures in agriculture
Organised agriculture and unity in agriculture clearly have not
yet reached their end destination, although we are well on
our way. With the unity forum, ASUF, as point of departure, the
vehicle and structures with which agriculture is approaching
the future are slowly but surely taking shape. The process is
expected to gain new momentum in the coming year.
Skills and mentorship
Another major moment that I would like to emphasise is the
energy, resources and focus invested by Grain SA in the
skills development of our producers, leaders and staff. The
emphasis here falls not only on technical skills, but also on
the so-called soft skills like dealing with conflict, diversity, and
how leadership should assert itself in new circumstances.
They can use these skills effectively to the benefit of the
producer in their negotiations with government officials and
input suppliers.
Considerable energy was invested in the Grain SA/Syngenta
Grain Academy, and the Young Leader Laboratory continues
to establish the value of mentorship in the lives of our young
grain leaders. We must use our relationships, networks and skills
to find solutions together for major obstacles like land reform
and restructuring.
Quite a number of Grain SA’s staff are currently continuing
their studies. Almost all the staff in the Financial Department
are involved in BCom or CA studies. Many of the staff are
currently enrolled for courses and/or diploma courses. We have
therefore placed a high premium on improving our skills pool.
Restructuring of research
Research enjoys a high priority at all times. Dr Marinda Visser,
manager of Grain SA’s Industry Services, established a certain
dynamic by diversifying grain-specific research and integrating it
across the spectrum of the industry. This means that researchers
fromvarious institutions work for this organisation and its producers.
The project run by Dr Hendrik Smith has a conservation approach
and attempts to turn producers into researchers so that the
realities occurring at grassroots level are easier to get hold of more
quickly, and producers can be integratedwith research first hand.
Grain SA’s focus on accomplishing sustainability by taking
climate change into account has introduced a new dimension.
The entire conservation concept and drought-resistant cultivars
came further to the fore this year. Food security – with the focus
on mycotoxins – was the other matter that started to require
attention. Something that I noticed in particular was how
advanced the research was. Young researchers are currently
conducting dynamic research on biotechnology in plants.
In this way we are creating young capacity working on the
newest biotechnology. This gives me hope that we shall be
able to produce enough food for the country.
1. Jannie de villiers
Chief Executive Officer
Uitvoerende Hoofbestuurder
2. Johan Loxton
Manager: Commercial Services
Bestuurder: Kommersiële Dienste
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
3. Jane mcpherson
Manager: Farmer Development
Bestuurder: Ontwikkelende Landbou
4. Nico Vermaak
Manager: Corporate Services
Bestuurder: Korporatiewe Dienste
5. Willem Voogt
Manager: Marketing
and Financial Services
Bestuurder: Bemarking
en Finansiële Dienste
6. DR Marinda Visser
Manager: Industry Services
Bestuurder: Bedryfsdienste
7. Nita van der Merwe
Secretary to the CEO
Sekretaresse van die UHB
