Day 2 :
Keynote Forum
Elton Mitchel Greeve
EMG Agri Solutions, South Africa
Keynote: Agrarian reform and its contribution to socio-economic development
Biography:
Greeve has 23 experience in the agriculture and land reform sectors. He is the owner and Managing Director of EMG Agri Solutions which focusses on agriplanning, broad based black economic empowerment, and formulating solutions for agrarian reform projects. He has a Degree in Development studies, focusing on community and youth development, and co-operatives development. He also holds a Diploma in Public Management, and various certificates in agriculture, microfinance and co-operatives. He has also undertaken studies in Asia, Europe and Africa, as part of micro-financing, co-operatives, and agrarian models in these countries, where he obtained various certificates.
elton
Abstract:
The main aim of the study was to provide an overview of South Africas agrarian reform environment, and its potential and challenges to contribute to socio-economic development. Methods to be followed in contributing to effective development are effective policy formulation, models for sustainable implementation, the National Development Plan as an enabler, economic drivers in the sector, and harnessing these, as well as labor - its linkage to development, and partnership as an economic driver. In assessing the results the following are key, socio-economic development within the sector, empowerment within the agri-value chain, meaningful partnerships in the sector, that have to lead to economic empowerment, sustainable projects that contribute to local and regional economic growth, and reforms for those not able to enter the value-chain. The study concludes that undertaking effective reforms with the agrarian sector are imperative to sustain economic growth. The mechanisms to undertake this are at our disposal, they just need to be harnessed.