One of the best ways to improve understanding of South Africa’s vast and complex agricultural sector is through great writing – and the Hollard-sponsored Young Agri Writers Competition stimulates exactly that.
The 2022 iteration of this exciting competition for young South Africans (they must be 28 or younger) features two categories: technical and non-technical writing. The competition winners have just been announced, with each receiving R5 000 in prize money. The runners-up and second runners-up in each category have won R3 000 and R2 000 respectively, with the other finalists each receiving R1 000.
In the technical category, soil scientist Rachel du Preez has walked off with the first prize, with her article about soil acidity and its remediation in crop production. In second place is GrainSA junior economist Heleen Viljoen, for her piece about the importance of maize exports for local commodity markets. Third place is shared by Viljoen and another GrainSA junior economist, Christiaan Vercueil, for their article that questions whether producers are causing food prices to increase.
In the non-technical category, top honours go to Michelle Marais, who works in agribusiness with the RussellStone Group, for her article about the unique competitive advantage that the youth enjoy in agriculture. The runner-up is agriculturalist Karen Truter, for her article about farming in the future, and third place goes to agricultural economics student Ruth Hadebe, who submitted articles about vegetables and agro-processing. (Interestingly, Marais and Truter respectively finished third and fourth overall in the 2021 competition.)
“It’s remarkable how this year’s entrants all have strong connections with agriculture, and their passion for the sector is evident in their writing,” says Hollard Insure’s National Business Development Manager and Head of Agri, Andries Wiese. “The standard of their writing is excellent, and the sheer diversity of topics they covered this year has been breathtaking.”
The point of the competition is to encourage young writers to focus on the agricultural sector, one of the most important in the South African economy. With few media outlets dedicated to agriculture, or having no particular expertise on the sector, Wiese says it is vital to stimulate media coverage and thought leadership.
“As an agri-focused insurer, Hollard is proud to play such an important role along with our partners in the competition, Farming Portal and Agricultural Writers SA. Greater knowledge and understanding of agriculture – which is a fascinating sector – is good for everyone in the agricultural value chain, and helps to create better futures for every citizen,” says Wiese.
“Big, purple Hollard congratulations, therefore, to all our 2022 Young Agri Writers Competition winners. Keep up the great work – and may we see more and more of your writing output going forward!”
