Jannie De Villiers - FORMER - Grain SA CEO. Aug 2021
Jannie de Villiers was born in the Free State in 1961. He obtained a BCom at the University of the Free State and a BCom Hons in economy at the University of Pretoria. He started his career as an economist at the Department of Agriculture where after he spent 24 years in the grain/food processing sector. In 2011 he joined Grain SA (grain producers’ organisation) as the CEO.
He plays a strong leadership role in the grain sector through the positions that he holds on the Boards of various Trusts and industry serving companies. He has represented South Africa internationally on various occasions regarding grain and food matters. Jannie is also an active member of his Church and serves as the chairperson of the Moreleta Park Association, serving pastors and church leaders. He is married to Retha for 27 years and they have three children.
He believe
Food security and sustainable production are the main priorities for South Africa. World food prices are currently very high. The Food and Agriculture Organisation global food price index is currently higher than in 2008, when we had huge food price spikes that caused panic around the world. The focus in agriculture during the next 10 years will be on food security and production, not on processing. I will definitely spend a lot of my time ensuring that there’s enough food in the country.
We don’t only need to make farmers profitable – we need to be food secure. My take on the market is that the global need for food will encourage production – and that will probably improve profits in the long run. On the supply side, we need to keep on working to reduce input costs and increase yields. On the demand side, we must take immediate action in terms of biofuel and grow the poultry industry to consume more maize locally.
