About Us
1.Background:
For the past ten years AgriExpert CC has been actively involved in Land Reform and Empowerment work in the agricultural sectors of various provinces in South Africa. We believe we are contributing significantly to South Africa’s vision: “A nation at work for a better life for all”, and to the long-term vision for agriculture in South Africa: “A united and prosperous agricultural sector”.
AgriExpert can participate at all levels of project development in the various phases :
Another vital input that AgriExpert specialises in, is facilitation, that is to bring the various role players involved in a project together, and to ensure everybody is pulling in the same direction. This is especially important in the case of involvement from various state departments, the private sector, service providers and beneficiaries from diverse backgrounds.
2.Planning and facilitation work:
2.1 Equity deals and subsidies:-This work is about building partnerships between commercial farmers and farm workers, as part of the land reform programme. Various highly successful projects can be listed.
2.2 100% BEE deals and subsidies:-AgriExpert has been involved in some successful LRAD land reform projects where a commercial partner did not form part of the ownership.
2.3 PLAS deals:The Pro-Active Land Acquisition Scheme (PLAS) involves the purchasing of farms by Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR), to be leased to beneficiaries as part of the land reform programme. AgriExpert has been involved in preparing farms for acquisition, the negotiation process and the identification of beneficiaries to lease the land.
2.4 Regional planning:Regional work includes agricultural master planning for district municipalities as well as the agricultural specialist inputs for spatial development frameworks for local municipalities .
2.5 Infrastructure planning (CASP subsidies):Land reform and other beneficiaries have been assisted to procure funding from the Comprehensive Agriculture Support Programme (CASP), administered by Department of Agriculture. This funding has been applied to provide infrastructure (irrigation systems, pack houses, etc) on land reform farms.
2.6 Project turnarounds (RECAP funding):AgriExpert does have the skills to plan and execute project turnaround strategies to revitalise land reform projects that are struggling to survive.
2.7 Municipal commonage land and developments:AgriExpert has done significant work in terms of agricultural master planning for the district, an agricultural development policy for the municipality and development of commonages for urban farmers .
2.8 Agri-villages:AgriExpert has been doing conceptual and planning work to develop on- and off-farm housing facilities for farm workers and their families. AgriExpert project manages all the required facilitation work with state departments, municipalities, technical service providers, communities, farm worker groups and commercial partners.
2.9 Comperhensive Rural Development Programmes:This initiative by the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform involves the upliftment of identified areas of need across the country.
2.10 Water applications:Involves the application for the allocation of water entitlement to the BEE partners, as part of their contribution to obtain equity in these projects.
2.11 Infrastructure development (DTI subsidies):AgriExpert, with the assistance of various subject matter specialist subcontractors, can on behalf of customers apply for DTI subsidies for infrastructure.
2.12 Environmental Impact Assessments:AgriExpert, with the assistance of various subject matter specialist subcontractors, are able to assist customers to obtain Records of Decision and ploughing certificates after EIA investigations. This service also has reference on dam applications and on-farm infrastructural developments.
2.13 Project management:Over the past ten years AgriExpert has built up an enviable reputation for on-time delivery of projects, within budget and specifications. This all comes about through experience with small and large scale projects, from management information projects
2.14 Surveys / Impact assessments:AgriExpert do have extensive research backgrounds up to masters degrees, and extensive management information backgrounds to engage in surveys and impact assessments.
AgriExpert is well positioned to provide top-class contributions, in association with various other team members, in respect of all the abovementioned aspects.
The visionary Leonardo ad Vinci is quoted as having said: "People of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things."
These words are strengthened by the following from the late Christopher Reeves: "So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable."
Let us keep these words of wisdom in mind as we move forward towards our dream of an agriculturally empowered Southern Africa.
