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29 February 2024 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo SUPPLIED
Dr Lindie von Maltitz
Dr Lindie von Maltitz spoke at DESTEA’s Free State Investment Conference (27 February), which was hosted on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus. In her presentation, she highlighted, among other points, the advantages of the UFS as a strategic partner in the agricultural sector.

Dr Lindie von Maltitz, a Lecturer in the Department of Agricultural Economics at the University of the Free State (UFS), contributed to the programme of the Free State Investment Conference (27 February), which was presented by the Department of Economic, Small Business Development, Tourism, and Environmental Affairs (DESTEA).

The primary objective of the conference, held in the Centenary Complex on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus, was to promote the province as an investment destination of choice and to showcase strategic investment projects across different municipalities. Additionally, the conference sought to connect local businesses with local and international investors and opportunities.

Representatives from financial institutions, academic institutions, national and provincial government departments, chambers of commerce, corporates, investors, and embassies attended the conference, which was opened by Councillor Gregory Nthatisi, the Executive Mayor of the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality. The honourable Mxolisi Dukwana, the Premier of the Free State, delivered the keynote address.

The sectors covered by the presentations at this conference included mining and gas extraction, transport and logistics, energy, infrastructure, tourism, and the agriculture and agro-processing sector. Dr Von Maltitz’s presentation, ‘Required investment to improve the performance of the agricultural sector in the Free State’, focused on the latter sector.

Representing the UFS in the session ‘Driving Inclusive Growth and Food Security: Agriculture’ – Dr Von Maltitz first focused on what agriculture in the Free State entails, and how it relates to the rest of the country. She then provided a brief overview of the role and importance of agriculture in the South African and Free State economy, adding to that the advantages that investment in the agricultural sector in the Free State will bring.

Numerous possibilities for investment in the sector

According to Dr Von Maltitz, the agricultural sector in the Free State is of vital importance to its economy. “Our income from agriculture and its related industries is the second largest in the country, after the Western Cape. There are numerous possibilities for investment in the sector, not limited to production, but expanded to the entire agricultural value chain. Connecting with the right strategic partners can ensure the success of investment projects. The UFS can contribute as a strategic partner, bringing knowledge, expertise, research, and local and global networking to the table,” she stated.

The importance of investing in the agricultural sector, according to Dr Von Maltitz, is linked to two of South Africa’s biggest challenges: unemployment and poverty. “Investing in agriculture addresses both of these issues. Jobs are created for both unskilled and skilled labour while producing and processing food. The higher agricultural investment is on the agenda, the better for economic growth in our province and country,” said Dr Von Maltitz.

"With food security for a global population that has expanded from 2,5 billion in 1950 to 7,9 billion in 2021, agriculture and its related industries are the sector that will remain important until time immemorial,” remarked Dr Von Maltitz.

She is of the opinion that the Free State presents many opportunities for this sector. Dr Von Maltitz believes there are very few agricultural products that cannot be produced in the Free State. “For example, fruit produced in our province is market-ready before that of the Western Cape. This allows us to access local and international markets early, when prices are higher due to a supply shortage. Because we have cold temperatures in winter, our area has fewer livestock diseases than those found in other parts of the country,” she added.

“Assured by a supportive policy environment, functional infrastructure, and expert knowledge base, investors can be encouraged to invest in the agricultural sector in the Free State,” said Dr Von Maltitz.

In the Free State, however, the development of the agricultural sector is facing several challenges. In her view, failing infrastructure and load shedding are the biggest problems. “Our roads are among the worst in the country, making timely access to markets more difficult. Load shedding has an enormous impact on any processing facility. Climate change is something we need to incorporate into our planning process, continuously developing new risk management strategies for the sector,” she elaborated.

Advantages of the UFS as a strategic partner

She stated that the Free State is an agricultural hub open to many more possibilities. “Speaking as a representative of the UFS, I want to highlight the advantages for investors of the UFS as a strategic partner. Our Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences is one of the best in the country and offers knowledge, skills, and expertise in every field related to agriculture, including soil scientists, animal scientists, climate scientists, crop scientists, wildlife and grassland scientists, plant breeders and pathologists, agronomists, agrometeorologists, and agricultural economists. The value we offer can be attractive to investors who will be reassured by our competence, as supported in the university’s Vision130, which defines our values, namely excellence, innovation and impact, accountability, care, social justice, and sustainability,” Dr Von Maltitz said.

News Archive

UFS launches a Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Observatory, first of its kind in South Africa
2013-12-04

In cooperation with its partners, the Centre for Development Support at the University of the Free State (UFS), launched the SME Observatory at a function on the Bloemfontein Campus. This initiative is the first of its kind in South Africa. 
 
According to Willem Ellis, Director of the Centre for Development Support, this is a public-private partnership between the UFS, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (detea), which aims to gather information for research on small and medium enterprises. “With this research we will endeavour to empower policy formulators to make the right decisions in terms of development on a local, provincial and national level,” Ellis said. 
 
Presentations and the panel discussion at the launch covered topics such as: 
  • How many enterprises can survive in a town?
  • Are entrepreneurs being set up for failure? 
  • Is SMEs the answer to the unemployment question? 
  • The cost of red tape: is SMEs being tied down? 

To demonstrate the applicability of the enterprise architect for issues relating to enterprise policy, as well as entrepreneurship strategies, it was decided to focus the pilot phase of the observatory on towns in the Free State. Dr Daan Toerien, research associate at the Centre for Development Support, and Johannes Wessels, Project Manager of the SME Observatory, compiled the report: “50 Towns in the Free State: What the Enterprise Architecture of these towns is telling us about Entrepreneurial Space.” 
 
In his presentation at the launch, Dr Toerien said: “The Enterprise Observatory’s prime goal is to present valuable facts and insights about enterprises in the domains it is observing.” He has developed a database that contains information on a large number of South African towns. He said that studying the enterprise architecture of towns will contribute significantly to inform the policy and strategy debate on LED and enterprise development. “These activities will add valuable data and insights to approach entrepreneurship in the Free State and, after the pilot phase, also in other provinces in South Africa. The Free State government, district and local municipalities, and the consultant fraternity serving them, should find the SME observatory’s activities of value,” he said. 
 
Wessels said that the SME Observatory of South Africa is dedicated to base its arguments on sound theory, science and applied research; to engage policy and decision makers on an evidence-based approach; operate in a politically non-aligned mode in order to mirror truthfully the impact of policies and decisions and to partner with policy makers, entrepreneurs, public administration, think tanks, research institutions, business representatives and NGOs on building networks and alliances to promote an open and competitive enterprise environment.

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