The South African Cultivar and Technology Agency (SACTA), a non-profit company which oversees the administration of statutory levies on self-pollinated crops in South Africa, held its annual Information and Knowledge Sharing session on 30 July 2024. Six FABI interns, funded through SACTA, attended the session where they had the privilege of meeting and interacting with SACTA board members, industry partners, farmers, traders, and many others.

Two videos (commissioned by SACTA) featuring FABI’s internship programme in Phytosanitation and Biosecurity and interviews with some of the interns were shown for the first time on the day as part of SACTA’s report on transformation. The videos can be viewed here:

SACTA: Bursary & Internship Program - AV 1 (youtube.com)

SACTA: Bursary & Internship Program - AV 2 (youtube.com)

Here are some of the interns’ impressions of the day:

“The event provided me with the opportunity to meet the CEO of SACTA, Andrew Bennett, the Chairperson, Deon van Rooyen, and other stakeholder representatives.” – Steven Shange

“My highlight was learning that the South African grain industry has seen a significant increase in grain production, outpacing its global competitors (Argentina, Brazil and USA).” – Nosihle Xulu

"Being in the same room as industry professionals is always a valuable experience, providing insight into the business side and demonstrating how research integrates with industry. I gained an understanding of the significant contribution of the agricultural sector to the country's economy and the need for constant investment in the industry's growth and development." – Nomasonto Mahlaba

The following day, Non-Executive SACTA Director and University of Limpopo lecturer Dr Malizukizwe Vincent Vacu visited FABI. There, he met the internship programme co-ordinator, Prof. Martin Coetzee, who took him on a tour of FABI’s facilities. Dr Vacu also had a chance to engage with some of the interns and see them in action in the laboratories.