CEO, Grain SA
‘RESILIENCE THROUGH INNOVATION’ IS THE THEME OF THE NAMPO HARVEST DAY 2026. THIS THEME HIGHLIGHTS THE REALITIES OF MODERN GRAIN PRODUCTION IN AN INCREASINGLY COMPETITIVE GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT SHAPED BY TIGHTENING MARGINS, RISING CLIMATIC VOLATILITY, MOUNTING REGULATORY PRESSURE, AND INTENSIFYING INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION.
Within this environment South African producers have firmly established innovation as a strategic competitive advantage. Innovation is the foundation of productivity, profitability, and long-term sustainability in a sector where food security and international competitiveness are inseparable.
Innovation doesn’t happen in laboratories or policy debates, but practically shows up in better genetics, sharper agronomy, advanced plant protection, data-driven decisions, and more efficient equipment. Producers who integrate these advances improve risk management, optimise inputs, and maintain yield stability in an increasingly competitive global market. NAMPO is built on the ideal of fostering a culture of cutting-edge, science-based innovation that is tested, challenged, and refined by grain producers and their partners – and this forms the bedrock of the event’s success.
South African grain producers embrace technology and innovation for survival, yet new advances often face resistance from both consumers and producers. While new technologies carry risks, this has never justified rejecting them. Vehicles, electricity, and agricultural chemicals all present potential dangers, but when responsibly governed they deliver substantial benefits. The same holds true for modern agricultural technologies, where the real challenge lies not in the presence of risk, but in managing it through sound science, strong governance, and responsible use.
Public perception often amplifies fear while overlooking practical realities. Modern agriculture today is precise and deliberate, with inputs carefully calibrated for maximum effect. Producers are highly conscious of cost and efficiency, applying products only when necessary and never more than required. Technological advances have reduced overall usage while improving precision and effectiveness. Responsible farming is built on knowledge, discipline, and accountability, not excess.
Against this backdrop, a significant challenge remains unresolved. South Africa risks falling behind in new breeding technologies, particularly genome editing. All countries except South Africa have established clear, enabling regulatory pathways, while local systems remain slow and uncertain. This creates a structural disadvantage for South African producers that will widen if not addressed.
Precision breeding is accelerating crop improvement with greater speed and accuracy. In the United Kingdom, gene-edited barley has advanced through a modernised regulatory framework, while India has introduced genome-edited rice to improve yield, resilience, and efficiency. These advances represent strategic decisions to strengthen competitiveness and secure food systems.
Access to traits such as drought tolerance, disease resistance, and nutrient-use efficiency will shape future productivity. Without these, local producers risk falling behind and being displaced by more efficient global competitors. The impact extends beyond the farm; weakening supply chains, rural employment, and the broader agricultural economy.
Global precision breeding is not limited to staple crops. New developments demonstrate how technology is being normalised across food systems. For instance, CRISPR editing is being used to enhance cacao’s resistance to devastating diseases that threaten global supply. This signals that consumers will increasingly encounter products derived from these technologies.
A next wave of innovation is emerging through RNA-based technologies that offer new ways to strengthen plant defence responses and resilience through targeted biological mechanisms against pests and diseases, delivering outcomes that conventional methods cannot match. For grain producers, this means more effective control options, reduced non-target effects, and new solutions as chemical resistance increases, positioning RNA technologies as a future core component of crop protection. While these advances highlight the growing importance of technology, they also reflect the reality of public concerns and the need to carefully manage both risks and benefits.
South Africa requires a balanced and decisive regulatory framework that is transparent, efficient, and based on science. Caution remains essential, but it must not become a barrier to progress. Delays and uncertainty carry their own risks, particularly in a sector where timing is critical to competitiveness.
Resilience through innovation is a mindset as much as a strategy. It demands the willingness to engage with new ideas, to evaluate evidence objectively, and to adapt in a rapidly changing environment. For South African grain producers, the challenge is not simply to endure external pressures, but to position themselves to thrive despite them.
We look forward to receiving you at NAMPO to make plans in these times of tumultuous market upheavals, confidently uninformed opinions, and spectacularly erratic leadership. Let’s get back to the basics of being the best producers, as this is the only way we will prevail – and prevail we will!
