1 November 2017
Agri-Expo as a member of the Royal Agricultural Society of the Commonwealth (RASC) was honoured to host the 6th Next Generation’s Understanding and Assistance Mission of the RASC in the Western Cape province of South Africa from 29 August to 9 September 2017.
OVERVIEW
JOHAN C EHLERS
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER: AGRI-EXPO
TRUSTEE: BOARD OF THE RASC
The theme “Bridging the gap between emerging and commercial farmers” gave us the opportunity to showcase the diversity of the South African agricultural landscape. Attention to detail on the programme was a priority. The group of 13 NG delegates were offered the best understanding of the challenges our farmers are facing. They also experienced the diversity and growth of the industry, but most of all they learned how South Africans achieve success in transformation, to bridge the gap between emerging and commercial farmers.
Congratulations to Breyton Milford, Operations Manager at Agri-Expo and an active member of the RASC’s Next Generation, for putting together an exceptional programme with the support of Riana van Rensburg, Agricultural Advisor in Clanwilliam. The two of you made Agri-Expo and the RASC proud.
Breyton as Mission Leader and Aled Jones as Assistant Leader proved that leadership and experience are an excellent combination to make a success of any challenge.
A special word of thanks to the Western Cape Department of Agriculture and the Head of the Department, Miss Joyene Isaacs, that without hesitation gave her support to the Mission and for the financial contribution to make the 2017 Mission an unforgettable experience for all the delegates.
The main objective for Agri-Expo, as an agricultural society, is to promote the image of agriculture, and listening to the feedback from the delegates at a unique farewell dinner, I realized, we have achieved our goal.
Thank you to the RASC for allowing us to showcase our products, our land and our people! As we follow the NG’s on their journey in this book, I believe you will get a better understanding of the challenges and successes of agriculture in our beautiful province, the Western Cape in South Africa.
INTRODUCTION
BREYTON MILFORD
OPERATIONS MANAGER: AGRI-EXPO
Agriculture is a common language throughout the world. This is something I have learned through the RASC Conferences as well as the Next Generation Missions. I had the privilege to attend the NG Mission to Papua New Guinea in 2009 as well as the Singapore and India Mission in 2011.
On these missions I made great friends and discovered how it strengthened links between young people. It increased respect and understanding amongst future leaders while providing a learning opportunity for NG delegates, enabling them to share and contribute their knowledge in the host countries.
When Agri-Expo successfully bid to host the Next Generation Understanding and Assistance Mission to South Africa, the lessons I learned from previous missions was the cornerstone of what we wanted to achieve. With the Rainbow Nation’s cultural and agricultural diversity, we knew that it will be a once in a lifetime opportunity for every attendee.
After months of planning, 13 delegates from nine Commonwealth countries came together from 29 August to 9 September 2017 to make friends, explore, understand and assist. We travelled more than 2 500 kilometres to the rural parts of the Western Cape to meet small, emerging, commercial and mega farmers. We became one voice, a voice that gave hope to communities, to young people in Ag, to emerging farmers, to one another, but most of all hope to ourselves…
The Theme “Bridging the Gap between Commercial and Emerging farmers” is one that has come alive during the 6th Next Generation Understanding and Assistance Mission and I hope that everyone who reads this will see the positive impact that this group made to the agricultural community of the Western Cape.
We found unity in diversity, learned from each other and made lifelong friends…
Enjoy our Journal!
Click here to read a book about the mission compiled by the attendees.
