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The role of agri-businesses in a
changing agricultural environment
AFTER THE EXCELLENT
AGRI-BUSINESSES:
WHERE ARE WE
HEADING? ARTICLE
BY SENWES CHIEF
EXECUTIVE OFFICER,
FRANCOIS STRYDOM,
WHICH APPEARED IN
THE FARMERS’ WEEKLY IN
MAY 2017, WE CONTINUED
THE DISCUSSION WITH
FRANCOIS, WITH THE
NECESSARY PERMISSION.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE
CHANGING AGRICULTURAL
ENVIRONMENT, THE ROLE
OF LEADERSHIP AND THE
VISION AND STRATEGY
REQUIRED.
AUBREY KRUGER
THE CHANGING AGRICULTURAL
ENVIRONMENT
To start with. When the agri
cultural environment changed,
certain businesses stayed in the
hands of members while others
cast the net wider and expanded
the value chain. Where does this
leave the prodcer, what is the role
of agri-businesses and in whose
interest do they act?
In reality it goes about the
place and the purpose of an
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agri-business
and where it
fits in. This
role has to be
rediscovered
continuously.
In my opinion
the global
business sector
lost direction
in the nineties,
when it was said that everything
should be about the shareholder.
Shareholders are secondary. It goes
about the customer, staff, input
suppliers and the community first.
Once everything works well, the
shareholder will be remunerated.
The most important aspect is that
there should be a balance between
all of the above.
THE ROLE OF LEADERSHIP
The role of leadership is to bring
contentious issues to the fore. A
leader may never choose to talk
about safe subjects only. The
contentious issues have to be dis
cussed as well to ensure that you
can be definitive.
The definition of leadership
goes about the role of leaders in
taking their organisations and
companies to places where they
don't really want to go. However,
at a later stage they are grate
ful that they did go there. This
remains a good summary of lead
ership. This can be only be done
through good leadership. A leader
reaches this level through hard
work and intense reflection. He
has to look far ahead and does not
merely follow daily plans, but pur
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