The economy will not recover as long as the ANC continues with its socialist and communist political and economic systems that destroy economic growth and prosperity. Therefore, a short-term stimulus and recovery package will not make any difference because economic growth is a long-term process that must be based on economic principles, "says independent economist, Fanie Brink.

IF EMIGRATION is a barometer of confidence in a country’s future, then South Africa, where a growing number of people are upping sticks, is in trouble. Private schools complain about losing students as families move abroad. More people are selling their homes in preparation for leaving . “Emigration sales” are a fixture of neighbourhood Facebook groups, with leavers peddling their patio furniture and braais. 

Deutsche Bank and South Africa’s Standard Bank have agreed to co-operate under a US-led guarantee programme to promote US agricultural exports.

Hortfin is the first blended finance scheme for the fruit and wine industries and is aimed at fast-tracking the uptake of new entrants and supporting the expansion of existing black-owned enterprises. It was launched in October 2018.

“Honestly, I think the business model for energy investment needs to change” says Penny Herbst, Director Strategy for Africa GreenCo.

Agriculture has come under the spotlight in South Africa. Not only did the severe droughts experienced in 2015 to 2016 highlight the sector’s importance to South Africa’s economic growth and job creation ambitions, the recent policy proposal on land expropriation without compensation drew attention to the agricultural sector’s importance in ensuring national food security, while also addressing inequality.

The prolonged drought has exacted a toll with a negative impact on the yields of major summer crops this year. According to Statistics SA, the production of maize, soybeans and sunflower seeds is expected to be down 13%, 16% and 29% respectively from last year.

Women in rural Africa are among the most entrepreneurial people in the world, constantly finding ways to make ends meet with limited resources.

China’s literacy level was below 40 per cent in 1949 when the revolution started; it rose to 65.1 per cent in 1982 when the fruits of the efforts started showing and by 2015, it was 96.36, growing at an average of 10.39 per cent.

Finance Minister Tito Mboweni’s economic policy document has a snappy 30-word summary of where the country finds itself:

Over the past decade South Africa’s public finances have come under more and more strain.

On 27 March 2020, Moody's downgraded South Africa’s sovereign credit rating to sub-investment grade and placed a negative outlook on the rating.

Two of the world’s leading development banks have pumped billions of dollars into the global livestock sector, despite warnings that reducing meat and dairy consumption is essential for tackling the climate crisis.

South Africa’s 2020 large agricultural output, coupled with higher commodity prices which were precipitated by the weaker domestic currency, coupled with growing global demand improved farmers’ finances somewhat.

The state-owned institution’s financial woes have led farmers and agribusiness to consider making an oer on the bank, starting a cooperative bank or partner with global commodities futures traders Agriculture: 

The current growth momentum in South Africa's agricultural sector, which we have written about several times over the past few weeks, is not just a development of the past two seasons.

A heightened awareness of mortality in the wake of higher death rates has translated into many taking an increased interest in their financial legacy.

Agricultural financing remains one of the toughest challenges for farmers in South Africa after the collapse of Landbank.

Earlier this month envoys from several rich countries held talks in South Africa to discuss a deal they want struck in time for the UN climate change conference (COP26) that opens in Glasgow at the end of the month.

One would think every effort would be made in SA for fit-for-purpose, well planned and relatively low-cost agricultural infrastructure investments to be efficiently executed with speed, leading to the creation of thousands of jobs and a much-needed boost in economic activity.