With a 4% stake in the global GDP (gross domestic product), agriculture also supplied jobs to 866 million people within the global workforce in 2021. This is according to the FAO Statistics Yearbook 2022.
The document also reflects an increase of more than 140% since 2000, to USD 413 billion in the global value added by African agriculture.
In the foreword, Anton Kruger reminds us of the “global village” within which the fruit industry of SA operates. Though telecommunications and technology are the glue that links the members of this global community, its effectiveness demands much more. The efforts of “village members” become futile in the face of ineffectual leadership and a lack of custodianship.
Therefore, each member needs to realise the value of their contribution and continue to play their part. This brings to mind the nearly 300 000 on-farm jobs that the fruit industry supplies, and the importance of this economic contribution for SA, but also for the greater context.
In die vorige uitgawe het ek gepraat oor swak leierskap, asook die behoefte aan effektiewe leiers in SA op hierdie kritieke stadium. Gelukkig het die vrugtebedryf ’n oorvloed leiers met ’n haalbare visie, om aan te hou om die pad vorentoe vir hierdie dinamiese bedryf te karteer.
Hierdie uitgawe gee jou onder andere, ’n kykie na die sienings van ’n naoesnavorser, die belangrikheid van koolhidraatreserwes, innovasie in die sitrusuitvoervoorsieningsketting, en hoekom windskerms ‘n groter fokus regverdig.
Die SA Vrugtejoernaal staan ook reg om sy mondigwording met die Junie/Julie ’23 weergawe te vier! Ons sien uit om in hierdie herdenkingsuitgawe – en deels in uitgawes vir die res van die jaar – saam met jou op ’n nostalgiese reis te gaan.