WCDoA and key partners to host 9th World Congress on Conservation Agriculture | Western Cape Government

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WCDoA and key partners to host 9th World Congress on Conservation Agriculture

1 July 2021

Following the recent announcement that the Western Cape Department of Agriculture will be hosting the International Symposium on Irrigation of Horticultural Crops in 2023 in Stellenbosch, another major international congress, The World Congress on Conservation Agriculture, is also heading to Cape Town in 2024.

At the 8th World Congress on Conservation Agriculture held last week in Switzerland, Theodor Friedrich, chair of the bid committee, announced to the 784 delegates from 80 countries that the next congress will be held from 24 – 27 June 2024 in Cape Town.

The announcement follows the successful bid from the South African team consisting of the Western Cape Department of Agriculture, Conservation Agriculture Western Cape,  Landbouweekblad (Media 24), and the African Conservation Tillage Network.

This congress will bring together farmers, researchers, industry, and policymakers to our shores.

Commenting on the bid announcement Western Cape Minister of Agriculture Ivan Meyer said that the Western Cape has a vibrant research group focused on Conservation Agriculture (CA) research in the province.

Meyer: “Given that the Western Cape is a significant player in agriculture in South Africa, it is only fitting that the international conservation agriculture congress will be taking place in the Western Cape.   CA focussed research is done by the Western Cape Department of Agriculture, the University of Stellenbosch and several commodity groups in a whole range of annual and perennial crops.”

Meyer continues: “The event will afford excellent opportunities to showcase the success of our Department’s work on our grain-producing research farms and in our agricultural sector.”

The Western Cape leads the adoption of CA in South Africa. Today, producers manage 51% of all cultivated open-field crops according to CA principles.

CA is one of the priority projects in the SmartAgri plan, the first provincial sector plan to ensure a resilient agricultural sector in the face of challenges posed by climate change.

“We also have strong leaders in CA production, who will be able to host the practical days and possible post-conference tours. Agriculture is leading the economic recovery in South Africa. We will welcome the world leaders in conservation agriculture to Cape Town and the Western Cape,” concludes Meyer.

Watch the bid video by clicking on   https://youtu.be/lInomOCHW5Q

 

Media Enquiries: 

Daniel Johnson

Spokesperson for Minister Ivan Meyer

Tel: 079 990 4231

Email: Daniel.Johnson@westerncape.gov.za