FirstRand Empowerment Foundation shares agri vision at Trialogue Business in Society Conference

“The agricultural sector is one that is important in that it generates employment and plays a key role in mitigating poverty,” said FirstRand Group head of social investing, Kone Gugushe. Speaking to the work of the FirstRand Empowerment Foundation, she highlighted the priority of driving the commercialisation of black farmers towards meaningful participation in the agricultural sector and transformation of the sector.

Mary Vilakazi, FirstRand Limited’s CEO, also addressed the conference commenting that large systemic financial institutions are uniquely placed to unlock and enable inclusive economic activity and positive societal impact.

“We are already intentionally leveraging the core business activities and operational capabilities of our leading brands such as FNB, RMB and WesBank to add value to society profitably and at scale,” she said. “We are proud of the influential roles played by the FirstRand Foundation and FirstRand Empowerment Foundation in South Africa’s social investment space."

The FirstRand Empowerment Foundation’s efforts were showcased as part of the session, which brought together industry experts, thought leaders and farmers to discuss the future of sustainable and transformative agriculture in Africa.

Sustainable agriculture needs a ground-up approach

Renowned soil scientist and environmental sustainability specialist Dr Siviwe Malongweni presented the theme’s keynote address in which she emphasised the critical role of sustainable farming in addressing food security.

While sustainable farming methods that use less energy, produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions, and promote biodiversity make practical sense, they are less accessible to small-scale African farmers who face limited access to resources, knowledge, and training, as well as challenges related to climate change, insecure land tenure, and governance issues. Malongweni highlighted the urgency of overcoming these barriers to ensure future food security that will meet Africa’s population growth, which is set to double in the next 30 years.

She noted that true transformation begins with soil, explaining how better soil management practices such as using organic residues, minimising soil disturbance, increasing plant diversity, and integrating livestock into cropping systems can improve water filtration and storage capacity while enhancing soil health, carbon capture, and crop yields.

Malongweni called for more collaborative effort, greater accountability, proactive land acquisition for agricultural purposes and the strengthening of market access and value chains for small-scale farmers as some of the interventions needed to deliver change.

Driving transformation in SA agriculture

Similar sentiments on the importance of collaborative efforts to create value in agriculture and ensure food security emerged from the panel discussion with Gugushe, Mohair Empowerment Trust head Beauty Mokgwamme, Geluk Farm manager Johnson Madlendoda, and independent partnering and systems change practitioner Andrew Boraine.

The panel demonstrated how the FirstRand Empowerment Foundation is supporting emerging farmers through strategic partnerships such as the Mohair Empowerment Trust. The programme has assisted small-scale farmers to access interest-free loans, improve angora goat genetics, and adhere to international standards, supporting their efforts towards commercialisation.

The Foundation’s involvement has also helped the Trust to reach several small-scale angora goat farmers in the Eastern Cape province to add value and improve their profits. “It’s a meaningful impact that we’ve seen in the lives of the people that we’re serving in this Trust,” Mokgwamme commented.

SA’s food system needs better governance

The panel also addressed the broader challenge of food security in South Africa, with Boraine highlighting the imperative for greater focus on access to sufficient, nutritious food. Citing that one-in-four South African children are malnourished and the long-term effects of this, he identified a deep, systemic problem with the nation’s food system.

He called for a more collaborative and coordinated approach to address the many facets of national food security, from production to consumption, and emphasised the need for systemic change in governance and stakeholder engagement.

The panel demonstrated the importance of collaborative efforts and a more holistic and innovative approach to transforming the nation’s agri-ecosystems, towards addressing food security and sustainability.