/ 21 May 2020

Senwes launches Agri Value Chain Food Umbrella

Senwes is helping to get South Africa's bumper crop of maize to the needy
Senwes is helping to get South Africa's bumper crop of maize to the needy

SPONSORED

Senwes is uniting the agricultural value chain with the launching of the Agri Value Chain Food Umbrella. This initiative is answering the call of Agbiz to ensure food security amid the disrupted economic activities resulting from the lockdown and the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In support of Agbiz’s Food Relief Project, Senwes has acted as a driving agent by encouraging other major role players in the agricultural sector to volunteer their contributions. This initiative strives to curb the surge of hunger and desperation experienced in poor communities where the devastating effects of the lockdown have been far more prevalent.

Ultimately, the ACV Food Umbrella can be labelled as “food from a farmer” and is the culmination of primary producers, agri-businesses, logistics companies, processors and distribution centres working towards the common goal of reaching out to communities destabilised by the effects of the pandemic.

Senwes urges farmers operating near communities that will benefit from this initiative to rise to the occasion and to donate a few tonnes of their harvest to this worthy cause. Once farmers have made their donations to the ACV Food Umbrella account, Senwes’s silos will receive, handle and store the donated maize. Its logistics subsidiary Grainovation will then sponsor the transport and distribute the donated maize from the silos to the millers. The millers will mill and package the maize at no cost, then Senwes will facilitate the distribution of the maize to old age homes, feeding schemes and farm schools.

Senwes has opened the AVC Food Umbrella 418668 account with a generous donation, which will see 14 000 5kg bags of maize meal distributed to those in need. This donation will be enough to feed 158 730 people.

Karen Grobler, Agbiz marketing and communications manager, said: “Conservatively estimated, South Africa will soon start harvesting its second-biggest maize crop ever of around 15.5-million tonnes, thanks to having been blessed with a good production season. At an average price of R2 700 per tonne, it will equate to a total farm gate production value in excess of R40-billion. In a time of extreme hardship for many, the industry can play a significant role to stabilise society and alleviate hunger among the neediest over the duration of this pandemic, which will probably last for another eight to ten months.”

Donate to this cause by delivering maize at any Senwes Grainlink silo on delivery number 418688. Other contributions outside of this spectrum can be made by logging onto the AVC Food Umbrella page available at www.senwes.co.za/avc-food-umbrella

For more information visit: www.senwes.co.za