Grain Producers of the Year
Grain SA
25
November 2013
Continued from page 22
“The big question is: How are we going to feed the world without
damaging the planet?”
The growing concern regarding enough food was profiled in September
this year on Carte Blanche, in the insert reporting on “city farming”.
“There is a growing trend in cities, from Brisbane to New York, to use the
roof-tops of high-rise buildings for ‘sky-high farming’. Is this something
for the future in terms of farming?”
What about the responsibility? “Each one of us has a huge responsibility
in terms of leadership to ensure the safety and sustainability of planet
earth. So often we get distracted by little things that take our focus off
the ball. It is like a loose shoe lace in a race. We will not win if everybody
is not participating,” he said.
Syngenta took a leadership role in two spheres of influence. The first was
addressing the critical challenges for the planet and its people with the
recent world-wide launch of Syngenta’s Good Growth Plan. Secondly,
Syngenta launched the first ever South African Grain Academy, to build
leadership capacity for shaping tomorrow’s agricultural future. Tony da
Costa, from Nigel, represents the third generation of the Da Costas. His
dad, Manny, and uncle, Johnny, are previous winners of the Grain SA/
Syngenta Grain Producer of the Year award. Delport called Tony da Costa
on stage to share how he experienced the Syngenta Grain Academy. One
of the questions Delport asked Da Costa, was what he has learned from
this journey that he can apply in his farming business today.
“I felt that I have been given shoes a long time ago, which I have been
wearing, but only now have I learnt to tie my shoe laces. On this course
I learnt the importance of people. Employees are not simply human
resources, but assets. One of the most important things I learnt was that
it is not always about the money as remuneration. People work for me
for four main reasons, namely: The need to acquire, the need to belong,
the need to socialise and the need to defend. But every time we try and
motivate our employees, we do it with money. What about tackling the
other needs?” Da Costa said.
“It’s grain producers like Tony and the other producers here tonight,
whose energy and commitment makes us at Syngenta excited about the
future possibilities of agriculture in this country. An industry that feeds
you is an industry worth fighting for. Are you ready for this? Syngenta is!”
Delport concluded.
Grain producers energise agriculture
Antonie Delport (managing director: Syngenta South Africa) asking Tony
da Costa, one of the students that enrolled for the Syngenta Grain Acad-
emy, a few questions about his experience of this course.
The judges’ scores were handed over to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC)
and they were entrusted with determining the final results. Andries Brink
(national PCS leader: PWC) hands over the envelope with the winners’
names to Johan Smit, master of ceremonies for the evening.
The four Grain Producer of the Year finalists received their certifi-
cates from Louw Steytler, far left, and Antonie Delport, far right.
From the left: Mark and Kurt Thiele, Anthony Evans and Arno Cronjé,
Herman and Dirk van Rensburg and CD du Toit.
Anthony Evans, Kobus van Zyl and Maurice Boki are respectively 2013’s
Grain SA/Syngenta Grain Producer of the Year, Agriculturist of the Year
and Grain SA/Absa Developing Grain Producer of the Year.
Maurice Boki after he was announced as the Grain SA/Absa Developing Grain
Producer of the Year 2013 with his wife, Kholiswa. With them are Louw Steytler,
left and Brienne van der Walt. The Developing Grain Producer of the Year re-
ceived R30 000 prize money with the compliments of Absa. The runner-up final-
ists received R15 000 each.
Anthony Evans and the Rhys Evans Group, was announced as the 2013
Grain SA/Syngenta Grain Producer of the Year. Here he is congratulated by
Louw Steytler. Following Anthony is Arno Cronjé, general manager of the Rhys
Evans Group. Syngenta spoils the Grain Producer of the Year and his spouse
with a seven day holiday tour to Switzerland, which includes a visit to Syngen-
ta’s head office in Basel and the research station in Stein. The three runner-up
finalists and their spouses win an exciting long weekend breakaway at the
Lanzerac Hotel and Spa near Stellenbosch.
