South Africa: Undercover Farming Expo, an expo focusing on intensive farming techniques and farming industries, has joined forces with Agribusiness in Sustainable Natural African Plant Products (ASNAPP), an organisation promoting sustainable economic development, to host a three day conference for existing and potential producers and buyers of vegetables, flowers, fruit and seedlings being produced under protective shelter.
This conference will run concurrently with the inaugural Undercover Farming Expo, which will be held from 6 to 8 March 2012 at The Saint George Hotel & Convention Centre near Pretoria.
Topics covered during this conference will include the prospects for the marketing of fresh produce in South Africa & Africa, the impact and applicability of NEMA 28 (Environmental Duty of Care) in the agricultural sector, implementing lean manufacturing principles in the greenhouse industry, the production and export of flowers from South Africa, the role of The World Vegetable Center in the development of the fresh produce and vegetable seed industry in East and Southern Africa, and the potential for the production and export of fresh produce from Namibia.
A large number of international speakers from countries such as The Netherlands, Belgium, Zambia, Namibia and Tanzania will participate in this conference.
Delport says this conference, together with the expo, will serve as a business hub and will create an exclusive platform for industry professionals to be on the frontier of protected farming and to network with key players in the industry. “Tunnel and shade-net farming is one of the newest forms of food production in Southern Africa and offers the ideal solution to producers investigating alternative methods of farming because of the increasing dryer climate. This expo and conference will cover all the elements involved in this production method, from tunnel construction, growth enhancements and climate conditions to seedlings, packaging and export opportunities.”
The Undercover Farming Expo and Conference is supported by Intensive Agriculture South Africa (IASA), South African Flower Growers (SAFGA) and South African Seedling Growers Association (SAGA).
For more information about Undercover Farming Expo / ASNAPP Conference visit www.undercoverfarmingexpo.co.za
