Lucentlands Podcast | Harvesting Agriculture Knowledge

This podcast is proudly sponsored by Agrarius. Find out more: ⁠https://www.agrarius.co.za/?ref=recR9vP8u5CYfEOek&utm_source=lucentlands&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=LucentLandsPromo⁠
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In this episode, hosts Dewald Kirsten and Louise Brodie speak with Roelie van Reenen, Director: Supply Chain at Beefmaster, about the realities of South Africa’s red meat industry, market access, exports, and the ongoing foot-and-mouth disease crisis.
Beefmaster is one of South Africa’s leading vertically integrated beef businesses, with operations spanning feedlots, primary production, abattoirs, retail, and international exports. With the company licensed to slaughter up to 1,000 cattle per day and employing over 1,200 people, Beefmaster plays a significant role in the national value chain.
Roelie shares the story of how the company was founded in the early 1980s, how deregulation reshaped the industry, and how strategic vertical integration positioned Beefmaster for growth in local and international markets.
The conversation then turns to exports — including the Middle East, Mauritius, and China — and why even a small export percentage (around 5–6% of national production) is absolutely critical to the economic sustainability of South Africa’s beef industry.
A major focus of this episode is foot-and-mouth disease (FMD):
•How FMD impacts farmers and feedlots
•Why it is an economic disease, not a human health risk
•How day-zero protocols work after vaccination
•Why vaccination has historically been state-controlled•What has improved since the 2019 and 2022 outbreaks
•How industry cooperation is essential to regaining market access
Roelie explains that while FMD does not pose a health risk to consumers, it severely affects trade and pricing structures. Without export markets, product values collapse — and the entire value chain suffers.
The episode also explores:
•Halal exports and compliance for Middle Eastern markets
•Logistics: frozen, shipped, or air-freighted beef
•Value-adding through boxed meat instead of swinging carcasses•Utilizing every part of the animal — from leather to gelatin to pet food
•The importance of strong relationships between producers and processors
•Why emerging and communal farmers need better structural support
Roelie’s closing message is clear: industry collaboration, biosecurity discipline, and responsible livestock movement are critical if South Africa wants to remain competitive globally.Key Takeaways:
•Exports are economically essential, even at just 5–6% of production
•Foot-and-mouth disease does not affect humans — beef remains safe to consume
•Strong biosecurity and disciplined movement control are critical
•Vertical integration creates resilience in volatile markets
•Relationships across the value chain determine long-term sustainability
•Emerging farmers present enormous untapped potentialConnect with us:Website: https://lucentlands.co.za/
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This podcast is proudly sponsored by Agrarius. Find out more: ⁠https://www.agrarius.co.za/?ref=recR9vP8u5CYfEOek&utm_source=lucentlands&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=LucentLandsPromo⁠
Visit our agricultural stock site: https://lucentlands.smugmug.com/

South African agriculture faces constant pressure — from rising costs and disease outbreaks to logistics challenges and global market shifts. Yet farmers continue to push forward.
In this episode, Dewald Kirsten and Louise Brodie are joined by Dawie Maree from FNB Agriculture to unpack why resilience is not accidental in farming, but a learned and lived reality.
Drawing on decades of experience across agriculture and finance, Dawie shares insights into what separates farmers who survive from those who thrive. The conversation explores how farmers manage risk, why relationships matter more than ever, and why agriculture remains one of the most important long-term industries in South Africa.
This is a thoughtful, optimistic discussion about farming through cycles, backing fundamentals, and believing in the future of agriculture.
Key Topics Covered
The mindset that keeps farmers moving forward

Farming through economic and production cycles

Why agriculture supports entire rural economies

Cross-commodity trends shaping South African farming

The role of finance, trust, and long-term partnerships

Why agriculture still offers opportunity for the next generation
Key Takeaways

Farming success comes from focusing on what you can control

Agriculture is built on relationships, not transactions

Long-term thinking outperforms short-term reactions

South African farmers continue to invest in the future

There is real reason for optimism in local agriculture
Dawie Maree: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawie-maree-65ab118
Connect with us:
Website: https://lucentlands.co.za/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lucentlandsmedia/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lucentlandsmedia
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lucentlandsmedia/
Support this podcast by buying us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/lucentlands?new=1

This podcast is proudly sponsored by Agrarius. Find out more: ⁠https://www.agrarius.co.za/?ref=recR9vP8u5CYfEOek&utm_source=lucentlands&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=LucentLandsPromo⁠
Visit our agricultural stock site: https://lucentlands.smugmug.com/
In this episode of the Lucentlands Podcast, hosts Dewald Kirsten and Louise Brodie sit down with Sean Walsh, CEO of KAL Group, to unpack the remarkable transformation of one of South Africa’s most influential agri-retail businesses.
From its cooperative roots to becoming a diversified, digitally driven national group, KAL has reshaped how farmers, families, and communities are served — far beyond traditional agricultural inputs.
Sean shares how KAL strategically followed water-intensive farming regions, expanded into fuel and convenience retail, and built a business model that supports both commercial producers and informal farmers. The conversation also explores digitisation on farms, data-driven decision-making, supply chain efficiency, and why growth — not margin protection — remains central to KAL’s culture.
Beyond the numbers, this episode dives into KAL Group’s approach to social impact, education, food security, and supporting the often-overlooked informal farming sector — revealing a side of agri-business rarely discussed.
Key topics covered include:
•The shift from agricultural co-operative to modern corporate group
•Why farmers must buy less — and how agri-businesses stay relevant
•Following water, not maps: KAL’s expansion strategy
•Digitisation, demand planning, and farm-level data integration
•Fuel retail, convenience economics, and mobility hubs
•Serving informal farmers and community-based food systems
•Growth strategy, capital allocation, and long-term outlook
•Education, hunger relief, and employee support initiatives
Key Takeaways:
•A healthy farming sector uplifts entire communities
•Agri-retail growth depends on relevance, scale, and efficiency
•Digitisation is no longer optional in modern agriculture
•Informal farmers are a major, under-recognised economic force
•South Africa still offers significant agricultural growth potential
More about KAL Group: https://www.kalgroup.co.za/
Connect with us:
Website: https://lucentlands.co.za/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lucentlandsmedia/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lucentlandsmedia
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lucentlandsmedia/
Support this podcast by buying us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/lucentlands?new=1

This podcast is proudly sponsored by Agrarius. Find out more: ⁠https://www.agrarius.co.za/?ref=recR9vP8u5CYfEOek&utm_source=lucentlands&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=LucentLandsPromo⁠
Visit our agricultural stock site: https://lucentlands.smugmug.com/
In this episode of the Lucentlands Podcast, hosts Dewald Kirsten and Louise Brodie sit down with Jannie Strydom, CEO of Agri Western Cape, for a wide-ranging and deeply honest conversation about organised agriculture, farmer resilience, and the real engine behind South Africa’s food system.
Jannie unpacks what organised agriculture actually does behind the scenes — often unseen, often unthanked — to protect farmers from regulatory, political, labour, and infrastructure challenges. Using the powerful “windscreen of the bakkie” analogy, he explains how farmer organisations absorb the impact of policy and external pressure so producers can focus on what happens inside the farm gate.
The conversation explores why the Western Cape punches above its weight agriculturally, exporting close to 60% of its primary produce despite making up just 10% of South Africa’s land area. Jannie also reflects on the province’s strong institutional relationships, functional municipalities, and why these partnerships matter so deeply for rural economies.
Key issues discussed include farm succession planning, the aging farmer population, attracting young people into agriculture, rural safety, climate risk, and the misconception that farming is merely a “lifestyle” rather than a high-risk business operating without subsidies.
The episode closes with a clear call: tell agriculture’s good stories better, thank farmers more often, and recognise the massive value chain that depends on them.
Key Takeaways•Why organised agriculture acts as a buffer between farmers and policy risk
•How the Western Cape became South Africa’s agricultural export powerhouse
•The hidden complexity of farming as an unsubsidised business
•Succession planning challenges between generations of farmers
•Why agriculture must be made attractive to the next generation
•The urgent need to correct public misconceptions about farming
•Why “Thank a Farmer” shouldn’t be a slogan — but a habit
More about Agri Western Cape: https://awk.co.za/en/about-us/
Connect with us:
Website: https://lucentlands.co.za/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lucentlandsmedia/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lucentlandsmedia
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lucentlandsmedia/
Support this podcast by buying us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/lucentlands?new=1

This podcast is proudly sponsored by Agrarius. Find out more: ⁠https://www.agrarius.co.za/?ref=recR9vP8u5CYfEOek&utm_source=lucentlands&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=LucentLandsPromo⁠
Visit our agricultural stock site: https://lucentlands.smugmug.com/
In this episode, hosts Dewald Kirsten and Louise Brodie sit down with De Villiers Graaff, CEO of De Grendel Wines, for a wide-ranging and deeply personal conversation about agriculture, legacy, ethical trade, and the real human impact behind the food and wine we consume.
De Villiers shares the remarkable multi-generation story of his family, from early innovation in refrigeration and civic leadership in Cape Town, to modern farming in the Hex River Valley and winemaking on the Tygerberg Hills.
At the heart of the conversation is his nearly two-decade involvement with the Waitrose Foundation, which this year celebrates 20 years of impact.
The discussion explores how the foundation works in practice, how funding flows back to farmworker communities, and why worker-led decision-making has been key to its success across South Africa and beyond. De Villiers also reflects on education, dignity, happiness in the workplace, and the responsibility of retailers and consumers in building sustainable agricultural systems.
The episode concludes with exciting news from De Grendel Wines, including their inclusion as a Waitrose Foundation supplier, the launch of a new reserve Merlot, and conservation efforts to protect one of the Cape Floral Kingdom’s most endangered biomes.
Key topics covered include:
•The origins and philosophy of the Waitrose Foundation
•20 years of social impact across Southern Africa and beyond
•Why education and early childhood development matter on farms
•“Worker voice” and community-driven development projects
•Ethical retail, consumer responsibility, and transparency
•De Grendel Wines’ terroir, heritage, and new wine releases
•Conservation of Renosterveld and sustainable farming practices
•Legacy, leadership, and treating people with dignity
Key Takeaways:
•Sustainable agriculture starts with people, not just production
•Ethical trade can deliver measurable, generational change
•Empowering workers to lead projects ensures lasting impact
•Wine, farming, and conservation can coexist in urban landscapes
Connect with De Villiers Graaff on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/de-villiers-graaff-1871356/
More about De Grendel Wines: https://degrendel.co.za/
Connect with us:
Website: https://lucentlands.co.za/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lucentlandsmedia/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lucentlandsmedia
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lucentlandsmedia/
Support this podcast by buying us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/lucentlands?new=1