Keynote speaker Jannie de Villiers, executive director of SA’s National Chamber of Milling, spoke on the subject that has been on everyone’s minds: food security. He believes that we’re currently experiencing the lull between two storms; when demand picks up again following the recession, the world will be under significant pressure. Oil prices will surge, he believes, and with this a substantial increase in maize prices driven by biofuels. China, India and Brazil will continue to clamour for protein (like poultry), which will also elevate grain prices. ‘However, for the moment,’ he says, ‘we have a window of opportunity to do something about food security while the recession lasts.’
According to De Villiers, food security demands the buy-in of both free market and government: 1) availability 08 of enough food is the responsibility of the free market; affordability of food is the responsibility of government by providing a policy environment whereby competition will drive prices down and economic growth and job creation will provide money.
De Villiers proposes an increase in investment in agriculture – specifically in transport infrastructure. ‘It’s essential that we invest in the railway system, roads and ports and also that significant attention is paid to both energy and water affairs – with an emphasis on water. There is no replacement for water.’ The world is going to be looking to us as we have more fallow land, he says. ‘But, we must make sure that the process of land transformation is sustainable.’
