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Sustainable farming key to food security

10th May 2013

By: Chantelle Kotze

  

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This year’s Nampo Harvest Day, presented by South African grain producers association Grain SA, will focus on the latest available technology for sustainable production to ensure sustainable farming practices are adopted in South Africa.

The theme – Technology for sustainable production – will help promote sustain- able farming methods to help guarantee that enough food is continually produced for the nation, says Grain SA commercial services manager Johan Loxton.

It is also important to promote the agriculture industry in South Africa to the Nampo Harvest Day by attracting visitors to stands and demonstration areas that showcase the importance of new products.

In addition to the current 24 ha exhibi- tion space at Nampo Park, outside Bothaville, in the Free State, the organi- ser has started the phased extension of the outdoor exhibition space.

Extension of the exhibition area was the first phase and entailed the erection of infrastructure in the south car park terrain, which is already complete.

This extension adds 8 000 m2 of exhibition space, says Loxton.

The second phase, however, will require the entire south car park to be used as exhibition area. Therefore, the existing south car park will have to be relocated, explains Loxton.

The second phase of the exhibition area extension will create 45 000 m2 of extra space once completed. The relocation of the south car park is currently in the planning stage, he notes.

Loxton says the reason for the extension is twofold. “Firstly, the space requirements of the exhibitors tend to increase in size each year, as exhibitors expand their product ranges. This requires the exhibition space to be increased. Further, farming implements also tend to increase in size.”

Meanwhile, the amount of available exhi- bition space at the Nampo Harvest Day is limited, as current exhibitors are given preference when registering as exhibitors for the next year’s event. Therefore, prospective exhibitors are encouraged to apply as early as possible to secure exhibition space.

To overcome the challenge of finding new exhibitors’ exhibition space to present new technologies, the Nampo Harvest Day organiser will use the exhibition extensions to prevent potential exhibitors being turned away.

New exhibitors will, therefore, be given the opportunity to showcase important technologies that are in line with the needs of the farmers attending the event.

“Our intention is not to increase the number of exhibitors significantly, but to provide extra space to existing exhibitors when needed,” says Loxton.

He says last year’s event hosted a record 681 exhibitors and attracted 71 723 visitors – the second highest number of visitors at the Nampo Harvest Day. This year’s event, held from May 14 to 17, is set to host more than 600 exhibitors for the eighth year in a row.

Some of this year’s highlights will include 4 × 4 vehicle demonstrations, interactive tractor and implement demonstrations, the presence of Grain SA Radio, the Farmer Patent Competition and the first-ever South African National Ploughing Competition – presented by Grain SA, tyre manufacturer BKT and local tyre and tube distributor Tubestone.

In March 2012, Grain SA Radio was granted a temporary broadcast licence to broadcast at the event for the first time, says Loxton.

Content during last year’s broadcast over a 75 km radius around Nampo Park included local news, weather and traffic updates, as well as exhibition previews.

This year, Grain SA Radio will be better prepared and has gained more knowledge of the broadcasting process. Grain SA Radio, powered by regional radio station Ofm, hopes to give better coverage of the event and convey more information to the visitors.

Grain SA Radio will broadcast between 07:00 and 19:00 and content will include discussion on agriculture-related topics.

Larger exhibitors can buy advertising packages, which include adverts and on-the- air interviews about the latest technology with company representatives.

“Grain SA Radio added value for exhibitors and visitors attending the 2012 Nampo Harvest Day,” notes Loxton.

Meanwhile, the Farmer Patent Compe- tition, sponsored by specialist chemical services group Omnia, is celebrating its twenty-fifty anniversary. The competition will, once again provide an opportunity for producers in agriculture to showcase their latest patents. The categories of the competition have been simplified to include only three categories, namely open, machinery and technology, and domestic equipment.

The category for machinery and technology is intended for young farmers, not older than 35 years old, while women can enter the domestic equipment category.

Edited by Tracy Hancock
Creamer Media Contributing Editor

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