Ek het onlangs op ‘n brokkie inligting afgekom wat interessante konteks rondom die handdruk gee. En ek sien toe dadelik ‘n metaforiese verwantskap aan die historiese mylpaal van die vorming van die Suid-Afrikaanse Regering van Nasionale Eenheid. A popular handshake theory is shared on history.com. The gesture started as a demonstration of peaceful intentions. “By extending their empty right hands, strangers could show that they were not holding weapons and bore no ill will toward one another. Some even suggest,” they say, “that the up-and-down motion of the handshake was supposed to dislodge any knives or daggers that might be hidden up a sleeve.” With the formation of the Government of National Unity, the handshake must’ve featured as a key token of a commitment to working together during the tough negotiations that took place behind closed doors. Hopefully, this symbolism will also be adopted throughout the critical transitionary period that lies ahead. Dis nóú reeds die tyd vir ons politieke leiers – maar ook die privaatsektor – om die vorming en instandhouding van strategiese bande eerste te stel. As dit kom by die vestiging van sterk bande met belanghebbendes, is rolspelers in die varsvrugtebedryf van SA heel bedrewe met die handdruk – letterlik en figuurlik. Dis ’n effektiewe manier om volhoubare sukses daar te stel. En dis grootliks ook hoe die bedryf daarin slaag om beduidende uitdagings te oorkom.
Newly appointed SATI CEO and SAFJ board member Mecia Petersen is a case in point. The critical role of women is nothing new. According to independent.co.uk, researchers confirm that, prehistorically, there was no indication of gender division of labour regarding hunting. Studying early human fossils, scientists found the rate and patterns of traumatic injuries to be equal for prehistoric women and men. And echoing the sentiment of acknowledgement during Women’s Month, the foreword is a useful reminder of the vital role of women in the dynamic agriculture sector. Also included in this edition are the 2023 citrus orchard registration results, the Hortgro Awards and Technical Symposium (both of which I was pleased to attend), the story of Elize Boer, and a look at grapevine trunk diseases. Given the unfortunate global context of gender disparity, may we all shake on remaining mindful to acknowledge the unmistakeable contribution of women in the bigger picture.
“We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back.” – Malala Yousafzai.