We should put all the negativity that has dogged our country behind us, because a new dawn is upon us,” said the newly elected President Cyril Ramaphosa in his maiden State of the Nation Address in February 2018. Six years on and 30 years into our democracy, South Africans (having just voted in the general election) are ready to experience the “new dawn”. Amongst them is the youth, a very promising cluster of the population. With the bigger picture in mind, they are boldly expressing their opinions and wants, and passionately advocating for racial and gender equity, and environmental issues. The youth deserve to be heard.
Die varsvrugtebedryf van SA het lankal besef dat jeugbemagtiging nie meer op die lange baan geskuif kan word nie. Die bedryf span dus m.b.v. beurse en ander bedryfsinisiatiewe die vaardighede van belowende jong Suid- Afrikaners in, om sodoende ekonomiese groei te dryf. Maar alleen kan die bedryf eenvoudig net nie ‘n volhoubare verskil in die lewens van ons jeug maak nie. Die aktiewe betrokkenheid van die regering – in samewerking met die bedryf – is van kritieke belang vir hierdie belangrike taak. Ons jeug is slaggereed om ‘n verskil te maak. Maar sien ons hulle rêrig raak; hoor ons hulle? Lees gerus meer oor die jeug, in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks, op bladsy 4 en 6.
As for the “new dawn”, Ramaphosa also said in the same speech that, “We should put behind us the era of diminishing trust in public institutions and weakened confi dence in our country’s leaders.” This sentiment aligns with industry commitment to growing public-private partnerships and strengthening collaboration with government, driven by accountability. So yes, the industry joins the rest of SA in anticipation of the “new dawn”.
In this edition we also discuss (among others) mitigations for logistical challenges, the launch of the Hortgro Legacy Foundation, an economic leg-up for emerging lime growers, the future of table-grape pest management, and citrus biosecurity threats.