Author: Zanele Comfort

By SayPro Chief Finance Officer – Toka Keamogetswe

Ladies and Gentlemen, Partners, Stakeholders, Friends of SayPro,

Good morning and welcome to SayPro Agriculture Day 2025!

Today, we gather to celebrate more than just a sector — we celebrate the economic backbone of our continent: agriculture. As the Chief Finance Officer of SayPro, I am honoured to stand before you, not only to reflect on the financial impact of agriculture, but to champion it as one of the most powerful tools we have for inclusive, sustainable economic growth.

Agriculture is not just about soil and seeds — it is about numbers that feed nations. It is about turning investments into livelihoods, transforming budgets into food security, and creating a return on investment that touches every family, every household, and every child.

Over the past year, SayPro has directed strategic financial resources into youth-led agri-enterprises, agripreneurship training, community cooperatives, and digital agri-innovation. We have ensured that every rand spent in agriculture is a rand that multiplies — in jobs, in income, in food security, and in dignity.

We have partnered with funders, donors, development agencies, and government departments to leverage funding that supports smallholder farmers, rural entrepreneurs, and Work Integrated Learning (WIL) interns. Our approach has been data-driven, accountable, and impact-focused. At SayPro, we believe in finance with purpose.

But as we look to the future, the financial case for agriculture has never been more compelling. For every challenge we face — climate, market access, input costs — there is also opportunity. Smart finance, blended capital, and sustainable investment models are the future of agriculture. And SayPro is proud to be at the forefront of designing and implementing these solutions.

To our interns from the University of Johannesburg and many other institutions — you are the financial future of farming. Your energy, your innovation, your commitment will help us build agri-businesses that are not only productive, but profitable and resilient.

To our farmers and community leaders — your daily decisions, your budgeting, your investments of time and effort — are the reason we can talk today about real impact. Your work is seen, valued, and supported.

As CFO, I commit to ensuring that SayPro remains a transparent, efficient, and mission-driven financial partner in agriculture. We will continue to unlock resources, drive innovation, and create opportunities that make agriculture not only sustainable — but bankable.

Let us remember: when we fund agriculture, we fund the future.

Happy Agriculture Day to all.
Let’s invest in growth. Let’s invest in people. Let’s invest in Africa.

Thank you.

By SayPro Chief Marketing Officer – Puluko Nkiwane

Ladies and Gentlemen, Distinguished Guests, Partners in Development,
Good morning!

It is with great pride and gratitude that I welcome you all to SayPro Agriculture Day 2025 — a day of celebration, reflection, and inspiration as we honor the incredible role agriculture plays in shaping our communities, strengthening our economies, and securing our future.

At SayPro, we believe that agriculture is not just a sector — it is the heartbeat of development. It feeds our nations, fuels our industries, creates livelihoods, and builds resilient, self-reliant communities.

Today, as we stand here in 2025, we celebrate not only the rich traditions of African farming but also the innovation, sustainability, and youth-driven transformation that is redefining agriculture across the continent.

Over the past year, SayPro has proudly supported thousands of smallholder farmers, young agripreneurs, agricultural interns, and cooperatives through training, market access, mentorship, and technology enablement. Through our Work Integrated Learning (WIL) programmes, we have continued to partner with institutions like the University of Johannesburg, enabling students to gain real-world experience and make tangible impacts in the agri-sector.

Our mission is clear: to empower the next generation of farmers, agribusiness leaders, and rural innovators. We do this not just through words, but through action — by delivering skills, creating opportunities, and facilitating access to resources that turn dreams into harvests.

But let us be clear — the road ahead demands more from all of us. As climate change, food insecurity, and global economic shifts challenge our food systems, we must rise with urgency and unity. We must invest in climate-smart agriculture, support women and youth in agribusiness, and use data, technology, and partnerships to future-proof our efforts.

To every farmer here today, to every intern, every trainer, every government official, academic, and private sector leader: thank you. You are the champions of transformation.

Let this day be a reminder that agriculture is power. It is innovation. It is sustainability. It is hope. And it is our responsibility to protect and grow this lifeblood of Africa.

Together, let us cultivate not just crops — but potential. Let us plant seeds of change, and reap a harvest of impact.

Happy SayPro Agriculture Day 2025!
Let’s grow Africa together.

Thank you.