Seeing that this pandemic is one of a kind and that the human race has no frame of reference that could be used as a guideline, it is almost impossible to predict what to expect in terms of the impact the outbreak will have on all sectors of our country and economy. In addition, changes to the way business will be conducted in future, is yet to reveal itself and will take time doing so.
The role of technology
One aspect that is sure to play a larger role in business, is technology. The number of meetings held on electronic platforms during the initial lockdown period grew with leaps and bounds. Following this huge increase in virtual meetings, many made good use of the opportunity to host online conferences.
The fact that it allows for a much larger audience and can be broadcast worldwide, boosted its popularity. Attending e-conferences in the future might become the new normal and event organisers should consider this in their planning. In the international and South African agricultural scene, many companies switched to webinars and online meetings in order to conduct business as usual. There has also been a marked increase in virtual farmers’ days and online auctions, although this was a trend that started to pick up prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A new way of working
Another change that could be here to stay is that of employees who work from home. In the agricultural sphere, however, this is not always possible, especially when it comes to production. During the lockdown the ‘work-from-home’ measure was implemented to prevent the movement of people and to keep the coronavirus from spreading; in future though, this practice could become commonplace as many companies have come to realise how much they can save in terms of office space and general expenses.
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Denne historien er fra July 2020-utgaven av FarmBiz.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Hauling In A Full Net: Reaping The Benefits Of Processed Fish
As local and global governments deal with the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, producers are now more than ever searching for new options for expanding their businesses. That said, farming and value addition to produce does not have to be limited to landlocked food sources.
Grow Produce Year-round With Tunnels And Greenhouses
Climate change is an inescapable reality and can wreak havoc in open-field production systems that rely on the right weather patterns to produce good yields. For this reason, many producers worldwide have turned to growing crops in tunnels or greenhouses. These production systems offer protection from changing weather patterns, allowing them to grow crops throughout the year.
Saving Soil: Harnessing The Microbiome
We live in unprecedented times.
Summer Grain Production: A Producer's Perspective
The 2020 planting season for producers in the summer rainfall areas is here and most of them are looking forward to the first summer rains so that they can plant their crops. FarmBiz spoke to Jaco Minnaar from the farm Uitsny near Henneman about the new season. Jaco is vice-chairperson of Agri SA and currently serves on the Senwes board.
Electronic Auctions: The New Normal?
The South African livestock industry has suffered a tremendous setback with challenges posed to physical auctions. However, the industry is nothing if not resilient. The first ban on livestock auctions was imposed during the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in 2019.
Oxygen Types That Damage Crops In Extreme Weather Conditions
Oxygen is best known as a life-giving gas without which life as we know it, would not be possible.
Asia's Maize Imports Likely To Grow
In 2019, the Asian maize market was finally on the rise to reach US$204,4 billion after two years of decline. The total consumption indicated buoyant growth from 2009 to 2019. Its value increased at an average annual rate of 5,1% over the last decade.
Cultivated grazing: Fertiliser is the key to success
Nowadays everything in agriculture has to be done on a larger scale. Cultivated grazing has also become a science, with producers forced to think bigger to get more out of their grazing – all at the most economical cost.
Industry Giants Comment On Special Adjustment Budget
Prof Johan Willemse, an independent agricultural economist, says the supplementary budget delivered by the minister of finance on 24 June was a real shocker. According to him, the government is spending an additional R145 billion on the COVID-19 issue. The real issue, however, is a record budget shortfall due to the economic meltdown, with wrong policy choices and corruption on the cards.
Rethinking The Conversion Process Of Poultry Litter To Biogas
The poultry industry is generally comprised of broiler chicken production, egg production, day-old chick suppliers and other poultry. While micro-enterprise businesses are gaining prominence as a means to address the challenges of job creation, economic growth and equity, the industry has future challenges concerning poultry litter management.
