Wat verg sukesvolle transformasie van die landbousektor? –What does it take for agri-sector transformation to be successful?
Wat verg sukesvolle transformasie van die landbousektor?
Deur Cobus de Bruyn
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‘n Magdom uitdagings staar boere en landboubesighede as deel van hulle ‘gewone’, alledaagse werkslewe in die gesig. Van dié uitdagings is klimaatsverandering, skommelings in internasionale pryse, rentekoerse en wisselkoerse, politieke uitval, ekonomiese afwykings en natuurrampe. Reken onreëlmatige omstandighede soos gebrekkige infrastruktuur, kragonderbrekings, watertekorte, Transnet-stakings en ongekende gebeure soos Covid-19 in en dit lei tot ‘n geweldige storm met verreikende gevolge. Suid-Afrika sal na verwagting teen die einde van die jaar El Niño moet verduur, wat nog meer probleme sal skep, en ‘n ‘gewone’ denkwyse sal net nie meer voldoende wees nie.
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Ons kan nie toelaat dat die landbousektor misluk nie, en gebeurlikheidsplanne moet dringend in plek gestel word. Dit geld veral vir nuwe transformasietransaksies en kleinskaalse boere wat dalk nie die ervaring of hulpbronne het om hierdie buitengewoon wisselvallige toestande te deurstaannie. Ons oorheersende doelwit moet wees om dié sektor van die landbou-ekonomie te help groei, met ‘n duidelike fokus op die oplossing van ongelykheid en die dryf van diversiteit deur gelyke toegang tot finansiering en steun te bied.
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Veranderingsagente is kritieke instaatstellers
Dit verg harde werk, toewyding, ‘n duidelike visie en ‘n grondige 10-jaarplan vir enige landbou-onderneming om sukses te behaal, en dit geld ook vir transformasie-ondernemings. Instaatstellers is egter net so belangrik in die transformasieruimte: frontlinie ‘veranderingsagente’ wat transformasie-inisiatiewe uitbou met opleiding en mentorskap asook toegang bied tot markte, wetlike strukturering en bystand gee om relevante finansiële steun te bekom.
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Gelukkig is daar sulke veranderingsagente in die Suid-Afrikaanse landboubedryf wat saamwerk om boere te ondersteun en te help floreer. Nedbank Kommersiële Banksake het byvoorbeeld met ‘n innoverende finansieringsoplossing vorendag gekom om aan die transformasiebehoeftes van die landbousektor te voloen en dit te versnel. Ontwikkel volgens ‘n finansiële en nie-finansiële konsep, bied ons gemengde finansieringsmodel ook opleiding en mentorskapsteun van bewese transformasie-organisasies, aangevul deur Nedbank se eie innoverende befondsingsoplossings, wat ondernemingsontwikkeling insluit. Daarbenewens help nie-finansiële vennote met die verkryging en identifisering van die regte vennote, regsondersteuning, aandeelhouer- en direkteurskapopleiding, toegang tot markte en skakeling met die regering.
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Vennootskappe is net so belangrik vir sukses
Die uitleengeleenthede ten opsigte van die transformasie-agenda is beduidend, maar ons is afhanklik van vennootskappe om hierdie potensiaal te ontsluit. Dit sluit in afhanklikheid van die regering met betrekking tot die gemengde finansieringskema om ekwiteit in transaksies te bevorder ten einde die finansiële risiko van dié transaksies te help verminder, en waarborgskemas wat die bank beskerm teen die risiko van wanbetaling gegewe die hoërisiko-aard van die sektor, asook venootskappe met ontwikkelaars van nuwe tegnologie om biosekuriteitsgevare wat moontlik die lewensvatbaarheid van bedrywighede bedreig die hoof te bied, en organisasies soos Partners in Agri Land Solutions (PALS) om die befondsing van riskante ondernemings wat nie oor goeie vennootskappe, opleiding en mentorskap beskik nie te vermy. Nedbank Kommersiële Banksake het sy deelname aan die gemengde skema bevestig en wag tans op bevestiging van die regering om voort te gaan. Die Departement van Lanbou se gemengde finansieringskema kan baie geleenthede in die landboubedryf ontsluit en die risiko van die huidige uitdagings in Suid-Afrika beperk. Â
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Die onreëlmatige omstandighede wat Suid-Afrika tans skud, het ‘n negatiewe uitwerking op die landboubedryf. Nie net dra die landbousektor swaar aan hierdie uitdagings nie, maar dit plaas ook aansienlike druk op transformasie-inisiatiewe. Transformasie, tesame met die groei van die sektor, is die sleutel tot die verandering van die dinamika van die landboubedryf en die aanmoediging van verdere werkskepping, asook vaardigheidsontwikkeling en grondeienaarskap. Maar die sukses van enige landboutransformasie berus op hoe doeltreffend boere deur finansiële en nie-finansiële middele ondersteun word. As belanghebbendes in die landboubedryf moet ons meer en sterker vennootskappe vorm, ook met die regering, om die toekoms van die sektor te verseker.
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Cobus de Bruyn, Hoof van Kliëntewaardevoorstelle vir Landbou by Nedbank Kommersiële Banksake.
What does it take for agri-sector transformation to be successful?
By Cobus de Bruyn, Head of Client Value Propositions for Agriculture at Nedbank Commercial Banking.
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Farmers and agribusinesses face a myriad of challenges in their ‘normal’, everyday working lives. These challenges include climate change, fluctuations in international prices, interest rates and exchange rates, political fallout, economic variances, and natural disasters. But adding irregular circumstances such as failing infrastructure, blackouts, water shortages, Transnet strikes and unprecedented events like Covid-19 can create a huge storm and the impact can be severe. South Africa is expected to feel the brunt of El Niño towards the end of this year, which will create further difficulties, and applying ‘normal’ thinking may not be sufficient.
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Contingency plans must be put in place as we cannot allow the agricultural sector to fail. This is especially true for new transformation transactions and small-scale farmers who may not have the experience or resources to weather these unusually volatile conditions. Our overriding goal should be to help grow this sector of the agricultural economy, with a clear focus on resolving inequality and driving diversity through equal access to financing and support.
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Change agents are critical enablers
It takes hard work, dedication, a clear vision and a solid 10-year plan for any agricultural enterprise to succeed – and this is no less true for transformation enterprises. However, equally important in the transformation space are the critical enablers: the frontline ‘change agents’ who bolster transformation initiatives with training and mentorship, and provide access to markets, legal structuring and the support to obtain relevant financial backing.
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Fortunately, these change agents exist in the South African agricultural system and work in tandem to support and help these farmers thrive. Nedbank Commercial Banking created an innovative transformation financing solution to meet the needs of and accelerate the transformation efforts in the sector. Developed along a financial and non-financial construct, our model combines a blended finance model with training and mentorship support from proven transformation organisations complemented by Nedbank’s own innovative funding solutions, which includes enterprise development solutions. In addition, non-financial partners assist with sourcing and identifying the right partners, legal support, shareholder and directorship training, access to markets, and engagement with government.
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Partnerships are equally key to success
The lending opportunities under the transformation agenda are significant but we are reliant on partnerships to unlock this potential. These include reliance on government for the blended finance scheme that injects equity into deals to help reduce the financial risk of the transactions, and guarantee schemes, which protect the bank from the risk of default given the high-risk nature of the sector, as well as partnering with developers of new technology that guards against biosecurity hazards, which potentially threaten the viability of operations, and the likes of Partners in Agri Land Solutions (PALS) to avoid funding risky operations that lack sound partnerships, training and mentorship. Nedbank Commercial Banking confirmed its participation in the blended finance scheme and awaits confirmation from government to proceed. The Department of Agriculture’s blended finance scheme can unlock many opportunities in agriculture and alleviate the risk of the current challenges in South Africa.Â
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The irregular circumstances rocking South Africa are impacting negatively on agriculture. Not only is the agricultural sector bearing the brunt of these circumstances, but they also put transformation initiatives under significant pressure. Transformation, together with growing the sector, is key to changing the dynamics of agriculture and encouraging further job creation alongside skills development and land ownership. But the success of any agricultural transformation relies on how effectively farmers are supported through both financial and non-financial means. As stakeholders in agriculture, we need to form more and stronger partnerships, including with government, to secure the future of the sector.
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