Tag: Day

By Neftaly Royal Committee Deputy Secretary – Martha Keditlwaetse Moshoeshoe

Your Majesties, Esteemed Traditional Leaders, Honourable Guests, Neftaly Leadership, Partners, and Fellow Community Members,
Good day.

It is with deep gratitude and great honour that I stand before you today on this special occasion — Neftaly Agriculture Day 2025. Today, we gather not only to celebrate the strength of our agricultural sector but also to honour the traditional values and cultural legacy that have long sustained our relationship with the land.

As the Deputy Secretary of the Neftaly Royal Committee, I play a vital role in ensuring that the voices of our royal institutions, elders, and traditional communities are documented, preserved, and respected in all development efforts — especially those rooted in agriculture.

Agriculture is not only an economic activity — it is a spiritual, cultural, and ancestral connection. It is through agriculture that our people have survived, traded, and grown strong. Today, as we embrace new technology, market access, and innovation, we must not forget the wisdom of our elders, the stories of our ancestors, and the customs that remind us that land is sacred.

In my role, I have seen the value of clear communication, respectful engagement, and accurate record-keeping between traditional councils, communities, and development organisations like Neftaly. I am proud to share that in 2025:

• Neftaly has ensured inclusive engagement with royal houses and traditional leadership in agricultural planning
• Community meetings, minutes, and decisions have been carefully recorded and shared to promote transparency and accountability
• Our cultural practices have been honoured while working alongside modern agricultural education, especially through our partnerships with institutions like the University of Johannesburg and the Work Integrated Learning (WIL) programme
• And importantly, our youth — the future scribes and stewards of the land — have been empowered to document, lead, and grow within this agricultural space

We must continue to protect both the land and the language that binds us to it. We must ensure that every agreement is clearly written, every voice is heard, and every tradition is upheld as we modernise.

To our traditional leaders — thank you for your guidance.
To our farmers — thank you for your commitment.
To Neftaly — thank you for creating platforms where both progress and tradition can coexist.
To our youth — you are the future authors of our story. Document wisely. Lead with honour.

As we celebrate this year’s Neftaly Agriculture Day, let us carry forward our responsibility to write a future that is rooted in truth, nourished by culture, and harvested with pride.

Ke a leboga.
Ngiyabonga.
I thank you all.

By Neftaly Royal Committee Secretary – Mary Mapula Malebe

Your Majesties, Respected Elders, Esteemed Guests, Community Leaders, Neftaly Colleagues, and Fellow Citizens,
Good day.

It is both a privilege and a heartfelt honour to address you on this important occasion — Neftaly Agriculture Day 2025. This is not just a celebration of agriculture. It is a celebration of our culture, our resilience, and the unity that binds us to the land and to each other.

As the Secretary of the Neftaly Royal Committee, my role is to preserve the integrity of communication, documentation, and the collective voice of our royal and traditional stakeholders. Today, I proudly stand as a voice for both our heritage and our future — a bridge between wisdom passed down through generations and the urgent needs of a changing agricultural landscape.

Agriculture has always been the foundation of our existence. From our ancestors who first tilled the soil to today’s young innovators who use technology to farm smarter, the story of our people is rooted in the earth. But for that story to thrive, it must be guided, recorded, and protected with care, honesty, and accountability.

This year, 2025, has shown us that agriculture is not only about production — it is about participation, policy, planning, and preservation. We, in the Royal Committee, have ensured that:

• Traditional leaders and rural communities have a clear voice in agricultural development
• Customary knowledge and indigenous farming techniques are being documented and integrated into sustainable practices
• All financial records, decisions, and agreements made within our agricultural partnerships are transparent, ethical, and accessible
• Our collaborations with institutions such as the University of Johannesburg are strengthened through well-documented internship programmes and inclusive learning pathways

Neftaly has empowered communities to move forward while honouring where they come from. Through our Work Integrated Learning (WIL) initiatives, we have opened doors for young people to see agriculture not just as labour, but as leadership.

We must remember: every field planted begins with a plan. Every harvest starts with a conversation. Every successful programme depends on record-keeping, coordination, and trust.

To our farmers — your daily work is the lifeblood of our nation.
To our royal leaders — your wisdom keeps us grounded.
To Neftaly — your structure ensures we thrive together.
And to our youth — you are the scribes of a new era in agriculture.

As Secretary, I commit to continuing our work with diligence, transparency, and cultural respect. Together, we will document a legacy that future generations will be proud to inherit.

May Neftaly Agriculture Day 2025 be a reminder of what we can grow — not only in our soil, but in our values and shared humanity.

Let us record greatness. Let us cultivate legacy. Let us harvest unity.

I thank you.

By Neftaly Royal Committee Deputy Treasurer – Jane Ndlovu

Your Majesties, Esteemed Leaders, Distinguished Guests, Honoured Farmers, and Members of the Neftaly Family,
Good day.

It is a privilege and great honour to speak before you today on Neftaly Agriculture Day 2025 — a celebration of our land, our people, and the shared promise of prosperity that agriculture offers.

As the Deputy Treasurer of the Neftaly Royal Committee, I serve not only as a custodian of resources but as a bridge between our traditional values and the evolving demands of development. Today, we gather to pay tribute to the heart of our continent — agriculture — and to those who nurture it daily, often with limited means but boundless spirit.

Our heritage teaches us that the land is sacred. It feeds, heals, sustains, and unites us. But in today’s world, we must also ensure that the resources invested into agriculture are responsibly managed, equitably shared, and strategically deployed — especially for those most in need: our rural communities, youth, and smallholder farmers.

Under the wise leadership of Neftaly and our Royal Committee, and through effective collaboration with government departments and learning institutions like the University of Johannesburg, we have achieved remarkable progress in 2025:

• Strengthened financial oversight mechanisms to ensure that agricultural funds and grants reach their rightful recipients
• Supported community-based farming cooperatives with transparent budgeting and support systems
• Advocated for inclusive agricultural finance models that uplift women and youth in the agricultural value chain
• And improved resource accountability, ensuring that every investment is monitored, evaluated, and redirected to where it has the most impact

Our work is about more than numbers. It is about empowerment through finance — ensuring that farmers can access the tools they need, that youth can transform internships into careers, and that traditional communities can move from survival to sustainability.

Let us not forget: a well-managed seed grows into an abundant harvest. Likewise, well-managed agricultural funds grow into food security, rural development, and national pride.

To our royal houses and traditional leaders — thank you for preserving our values and guiding us with wisdom.
To Neftaly — thank you for placing communities at the centre of agricultural transformation.
To our youth and interns — thank you for embracing agriculture not only as a duty but as a future.
And to our farmers — you are the true heroes of this day. We honour you.

As we celebrate Neftaly Agriculture Day 2025, let us continue to cultivate not only the soil, but our shared responsibility, our integrity, and our commitment to building a legacy of nourishment and dignity.

Ke a leboga.
Ngiyabonga.
I thank you.

By Neftaly Deputy Chairperson Officer of the Neftaly Royal Committee- Sapapi Johannes Mputla

Ladies and Gentlemen,
Distinguished Guests, Valued Partners, Esteemed Colleagues, and Members of the Neftaly Family,
Good morning.

It is both an honour and a privilege to welcome you to Neftaly Agriculture Day 2025 — a day of pride, progress, and purpose.

As the Deputy Chairperson Officer of Neftaly, I stand before you not only as a representative of our leadership, but also as a voice of support and advocacy for the millions of lives touched by agriculture. Today, we pause to reflect on the power of the land — and the people who cultivate it.

Agriculture is more than a sector. It is the heartbeat of our economy, the strength of our communities, and the foundation of our development. And at Neftaly, we have made it our mission to ensure that agriculture is respected, modernised, and supported — from policy to practice, from training to transformation.

This year, 2025, has been a year of both innovation and impact. Across the provinces, we have seen:

• Young people entering agriculture through our Work Integrated Learning (WIL) programmes, particularly in partnership with forward-thinking institutions like the University of Johannesburg.
• Women farmers receiving access to markets, finance, and leadership opportunities through Neftaly-led empowerment initiatives.
• Technologies and smart farming solutions being introduced to bridge the gap between tradition and innovation.
• And most importantly, communities rising — stronger, more self-reliant, and more resilient than ever before.

As Deputy Chairperson, I am especially proud of the role Neftaly plays in building trust, creating leadership pathways, and fostering inclusion within the agricultural space. We are not just hosting events; we are building movements. Movements that champion youth, protect rural livelihoods, and ensure that agriculture receives the dignity and investment it rightfully deserves.

Let us also remember that agriculture is a national responsibility. It touches every home, every meal, every future. And today, we recommit ourselves to ensuring that no farmer is forgotten, no intern is left unsupported, and no policy is pursued without fairness and sustainability in mind.

To our farmers: your work is the foundation of our progress.
To our youth: your energy is the force behind our innovation.
To our partners and institutions: your collaboration makes all of this possible.
And to the Neftaly teams across all provinces: thank you for continuing to lead with excellence.

On this Neftaly Agriculture Day 2025, let’s move forward together — hands in the soil, eyes on the future.

Thank you.
Happy Agriculture Day!

By Neftaly Chief Technology Officer – Moses Mnisi

Esteemed Guests, Partners, Colleagues, and Innovators in Agriculture,
Good morning.

It is a pleasure to stand before you today on Neftaly Agriculture Day 2025, where we gather to celebrate not just the past and present of agriculture, but more importantly, its future.

As Neftaly’s Chief Technology Officer, I have the privilege of overseeing how technology is being used to transform the way we farm, the way we train, and the way we empower communities.

Agriculture is no longer just a matter of soil, water, and seeds. It is now powered by data, connectivity, artificial intelligence, drones, remote sensing, precision farming, and smart systems. The future is here — and Neftaly is ensuring that even the most rural farmer can benefit from it.

In 2025, we’ve taken major strides in making agritech accessible, affordable, and impactful. This year alone, Neftaly has:

• Deployed mobile apps that give farmers real-time weather forecasts, market prices, and planting advice in local languages
• Launched AI-driven tools to predict pest outbreaks and optimize irrigation systems
• Integrated drone technology and satellite imagery to help cooperatives monitor large-scale crop health and manage land effectively
• Supported digital literacy among farmers, interns, and agri-entrepreneurs through our Work Integrated Learning (WIL) programmes with institutions like the University of Johannesburg
• And ensured that every technological solution we implement is open, inclusive, and designed with the user in mind

But technology alone is not the solution. The real power lies in how people use it — to make better decisions, to reduce waste, to adapt to climate change, and to build sustainable livelihoods.

At Neftaly, we believe that digital agriculture is not a luxury — it is a necessity. And our responsibility is to bridge the digital divide, ensuring no farmer, youth, or rural community is left behind.

To our development teams, thank you for building what matters.
To our farmers and interns, thank you for your willingness to learn, adapt, and lead.
And to our partners, thank you for trusting in innovation to drive impact.

Happy Neftaly Agriculture Day 2025.
Let’s keep planting the seeds of technology, transformation, and tomorrow.

Thank you.

By Neftaly Chief Legal Officer- Neftaly Malatjie

Distinguished Guests, Partners, Colleagues, and Fellow Champions of Agriculture,
Good morning.

It is a great honour to address you today on Neftaly Agriculture Day 2025 — a celebration of the hands that till the soil, the minds that innovate, and the systems that sustain one of Africa’s most critical sectors.

As the Chief Legal Officer at Neftaly, my role may not involve planting or harvesting crops, but it is deeply rooted in ensuring that everything we do in agriculture is legal, ethical, transparent, and just.

Agriculture, at its core, is about access — access to land, markets, financing, information, and justice. Yet far too often, vulnerable communities, especially smallholder farmers, women, and young agripreneurs, face legal and regulatory barriers that limit their potential. Neftaly is committed to breaking those barriers down.

In 2025, our legal team has worked hard to:

• Ensure that every agreement, partnership, and programme we support is grounded in fairness, accountability, and compliance
• Provide legal literacy workshops for farmers, cooperatives, and interns — helping them understand their rights, contracts, and protections
• Support land tenure and ownership security, particularly for women and marginalised communities, who have historically been excluded from decision-making and land access
• Uphold labour protections, ensuring dignity, equity, and safety for agricultural workers
• And strengthen regulatory compliance frameworks, so that our development efforts are not only impactful but also lawful and sustainable.

We know that the foundation of a thriving agricultural sector is not just good soil — it’s also strong governance, clear rules, and equal protection under the law.

Neftaly’s vision for agriculture is inclusive, lawful, and future-focused. We believe that justice in agriculture means protecting the rights of every farmer, empowering the voices of rural communities, and holding all stakeholders to the highest ethical standards.

As we celebrate Neftaly Agriculture Day, let us remember that the legal systems we uphold must serve the people who work the land. Because development without justice is incomplete.

To our partners, interns, and field teams — thank you for upholding integrity in everything you do.
And to our communities — we stand with you, not just as service providers, but as defenders of your rights and dignity.

Happy Neftaly Agriculture Day 2025.
Let us grow agriculture with justice, accountability, and equity at its core.

Thank you.

By Neftaly Chief Development Officer- Regaugetswe Netshiozwe

Distinguished Guests, Partners, Colleagues, and Neftaly Family,
Good morning.

It is an honour to stand before you today on Neftaly Agriculture Day 2025, a moment of reflection and celebration as we recognise agriculture not only as a source of food, but as a powerful engine of human development, social equity, and economic transformation.

As Chief Development Officer at Neftaly, I have the privilege of leading programmes and strategies that turn potential into progress — and nowhere is that potential more alive than in the fields, hands, and hearts of Africa’s farmers.

At Neftaly, we view agriculture through a development lens — as a pathway to achieve employment, food security, youth empowerment, gender equality, and climate resilience. Our mission is to ensure that no community is left behind, and that every agricultural intervention contributes to broader goals of sustainability and dignity.

In 2025, we’ve scaled impactful development initiatives:

• Expanded agripreneurship development programmes, providing youth and women with resources, mentorship, and skills to build agricultural businesses
• Strengthened our Work Integrated Learning (WIL) partnerships with institutions like the University of Johannesburg, creating bridges between education and the real economy
• Integrated climate-smart development models, ensuring that farmers not only grow more — but grow smarter, safer, and more sustainably
• And above all, focused on inclusive, community-led development, because the people we serve are not beneficiaries — they are partners in progress.

Agriculture is more than planting crops. It’s about planting hope, dignity, and opportunity. It’s about transforming rural areas into hubs of innovation, productivity, and pride.

To our partners — your collaboration fuels this journey.
To our field teams — your work brings development to life.
And to every farmer, intern, and community leader — your courage and resilience inspire all of us.

Let us leave here today with renewed energy to develop systems, build partnerships, and invest in people. Because when we grow agriculture, we grow Africa.

Happy Neftaly Agriculture Day 2025.
Let’s keep growing, together.

Thank you.

By Neftaly Chief Monitoring and Evaluation Officer- Rikhotso Tsakani

Distinguished Guests, Esteemed Partners, Colleagues, and Friends,
Good morning.

It is with great appreciation and purpose that I welcome you to Neftaly Agriculture Day 2025 — a day where we not only celebrate agriculture, but also reflect, measure, and learn from our collective journey toward impact and transformation.

As the Chief Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at Neftaly, my role is grounded in one essential question: Are we making a difference? And if so, how do we know?

Agriculture is a cornerstone of development — but real progress is more than just planting crops and building programs. It’s about understanding what works, for whom, under what conditions, and why. That is where monitoring and evaluation (M&E) steps in — to ensure that our efforts lead to meaningful, measurable, and lasting outcomes.

In 2025, Neftaly has continued to implement robust M&E systems across all our agriculture and rural development initiatives. Through data collection, analysis, and feedback mechanisms, we have been able to:

• Track the impact of our Work Integrated Learning (WIL) programmes with universities such as the University of Johannesburg — ensuring that interns are not just placed but mentored, supported, and growing.
• Measure the effectiveness of farmer training programmes, ensuring knowledge translates into improved yields and incomes.
• Identify gaps and opportunities for continuous improvement, so that every rand spent leads to real results in the field.

M&E is not just about accountability — it’s about learning and adaptive management. It’s about listening to the voices of farmers, students, trainers, and stakeholders. It’s about using data to drive decisions, and stories to drive commitment.

As we celebrate Neftaly Agriculture Day today, let us commit not only to doing good work, but to doing it better — through evidence, learning, and transparency.

To all our programme implementers, field workers, interns, and partners — thank you for making impact measurable and meaningful.

Together, let’s continue building an agriculture sector where results are not assumed — they are tracked, proven, and celebrated.

Happy Neftaly Agriculture Day 2025!
Let’s keep measuring progress and growing impact.

Thank you.