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May 2011
During the week of 3 to 5
May 2011 SANSOR (South African National Seed Organisation) held its 22nd
Annual Congress at the Arabella Western Cape Hotel & Spa. SANSOR, which
represents the seed industry in South Africa, organises an Annual
Congress not only for its members, but also for the larger seed
community. The Congress was attended by more than 100 leaders in the
seed industry and its associated members.
The theme for this year’s Congress was WATER and during the
divisional and open sessions, specialists in their various fields
presented topics related to the seed industry at large. The
presentations were as follow:
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The effect of
drought/changing climate on mixture and management of pastures
Dr Philip Botha, Specialist Scientist of the Institute for Plant
Production, Western Cape Department of Agriculture;
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Effective
fertigation in S.A. on crops with changing water quality
Mr Chris Barnard, Fertigation Academy, Rustenburg;
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The changing
climate and risk management in agriculture with special reference to
insurance/crop security
Mr Johan van den Berg, SANTAM Agriculture; and
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Some challenges
and solutions for future Water Management in Agriculture
Ms Carin Bosman, CBSS (Carin Bosman Sustainable Solutions).
During this year’s
Congress SANSOR initiated a process to leave a footprint in the
community where the Congresses are held. According to Mr Gerrie Reitsma,
General Manager of SANSOR, the Congresses are always well attended by
members of the seed industry and important decisions are made during
these meetings, but the impact of the visit was almost never felt by the
local communities. ”In this new step forward SANSOR would like to
leave a positive impact on the social and natural environment where we
have our Annual Congresses”. He further said that many of its
members have their own activities and this decision does not in any way
impede on any individual members’ actions in their local or regional
communities, but is rather a step forward to add more value to it. It
also creates opportunities for members to take part and become part of
such activities.
The plan is to have similar projects at future SANSOR Congresses and
individual companies will play an active part in it. At this Congress
two projects were identified whereby SANSOR and its membership could
give something back to the community:
1. SIYABULELA PRE-PRIMARY SCHOOL IN KLEINMOND – 3 MAY 2011
The school, situated in Kleinmond and registered with Child Welfare SA,
caters for 96 children between the ages of 3 and 6 years old from the
local community and specialises in the preparation of the children for
Primary Schools in the area.
During SANSOR’s initial visit to the school, a need for a gas stove was
identified as they were preparing meals for the kids using only a
two-plate electric stove. SANSOR also arranged with a registered service
provider in the area, Mr Guy Roberts from The Gas Guy, for the
installation of the stove according to industry/certified standards. He
responded by also contributing his time free of charge and only charged
for the cost of the gas stove.
During an informal ceremony held at the school, ownership of the
installation was handed over to Dr Carl-Heinz Duisberg, Patron of the
school and Ms Maretha Müller, Administrative Assistant from the school.
The children, with some of them singing to the visitors, also shared in
the festivities by each receiving a sweet hamper and fruit juice.
Together with other donations that the school subsequently received,
they are now busy with final upgrades to the kitchen that will enable
them to offer two full meals at the school for the kids. This will
create on-going saving for the school and these savings can be used to
better serve the children and the community. Also discussed during the
handover was the possibility to use the new kitchen as a hub for other
projects in the Kleinmond area, like the crèche nearby where they cater
for almost 40 babies and young kids. This would not have been possible
without this initiative from SANSOR.
On 5 May 2011 Dr Duisberg, Ms Müller and Mr Roberts also visited the
SANSOR Congress where Dr Duisberg conveyed their appreciation directly
to the members followed by Mr Gerrie Reitsma who thanked Mr Roberts for
his personal contribution.
2. TREE PLANTING AT ARABELLA ESTATE – 3 MAY 2011
As part of the idea of leaving a footprint at our future Congresses,
SANSOR had earlier also discussed the possibility of planting trees on
the Arabella Estate with the Hotel & Spa Management, as well as the
Arabella Country Estate Management.
The excitement was contagious and the support from all the parties
overwhelmingly positive. Trees were selected by Mr Alf Scullard from the
Estate after earlier inputs from SANBI at Kirstenbosch. With the
majority of the financial contribution towards the initiative from
SANSOR, the Arabella Estate purchased 57 indigenous trees to be planted
on the Estate in an area that in future will be known as “THE SANSOR
FOREST”.
The Rand value of the SANSOR contribution was calculated using a Carbon
Calculator to offset the carbon footprint by the participants flying to
the Congress. However, due to lower prices negotiated by the Estate for
the trees, a total of 147 passengers’ return flights from Johannesburg
or Durban to Cape Town, were compensated for. This is more that the
total number of participants at the Congress this year. According to Mr
Reitsma this is typically what SANSOR would like to achieve. “We are
not only paying for the footprint created by this Congress, but also in
a small way for future activities by SANSOR and its membership”.
According to Mr Terry Keller, Arabella Estate Manager, such actions tie
in with the Estate’s SHE-Policy and the Management team’s commitment in
protecting and where possible improving natural features, systems and
wildlife on the Estate. It also ensures that development is done in an
environmentally sensitive and sustainable way.
Trees were planted by Honorary Members of SANSOR, current and past
chairmen of the SANSOR BOARD and employees of SANSOR, the Arabella
Estate Management and staff from the Arabella Hotel. According to Ms
Birgitta Weaving, Banqueting Coordinator, this was a first for a
Congress at Arabella – “We are so proud to be custodians of the
SANSOR Forest and look forward to following in your footsteps in this
initiative”. Informally there are already talk to require future
Congresses to add to “THE SANSOR FOREST” and continue the impact made by
this initiative.
“Both these ideas have been a great experience for SANSOR and its
members – we have not just left two small footprints in the area but
also created opportunities for others to add to and let the footprint
grow – either at the school or at the Arabella Estate”, said Mr
Reitsma.
For further details on the activities of SANSOR, please contact the
SANSOR office in Pretoria at 012 349 1438 or
genman@sansor.co.za.
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