Building a sustainable agriculture sector in the Western Cape

Technology, research, financial mentorship and more will be required, writes Marinda Louw Coetzee.

- Marinda Louw Coetzee

“We should be talking about ‘competitive agriculture’, not ‘sustainable agriculture’.” This was said by Dr Mogale Sebopetsa, new head of the Western Cape Department of Agriculture, who summed up the recent panel discussion on ‘building a sustainable agriculture sector in the Western Cape’.

“To become more competitive, the department aims to unlock the full potential of agriculture in the Western Cape. And we use science, data and evidence to guide us,” added Sebopetsa.

He stressed that more research and tech innovation are needed, specifically concerning climate-proofing future crops.

Hailing from subtropical Limpopo, he was especially impressed with growing trends such as undercover farming and the cultivation of avocados in the Mediterranean climate of the Western Cape. Sebopetsa was one of four panellists at the agri event sponsored by Old Mutual and the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry on 17 April.

Joining him on the stage at the packed-to-capacity event in Paarl were speakers representing agri finance, tertiary education and farmers’ representative group Agri Western Cape.

Ivor Price