RS Components, a global omni-channel provider of industrial and electronic products and solutions, will join hundreds of exhibitors at this year’s NAMPO Harvest Day in Bothaville in the Free State. Regarded as the largest agricultural exhibition of its kind in the southern hemisphere, NAMPO Harvest Day sees thousands of visitors’ flock to Bothaville to gain first-hand insights on the latest advances in technology, equipment, and tools to benefit the agricultural industry in South Africa.
South Africa’s agricultural sector is beginning to explore the possibilities of the IoT.
Following a two-year hiatus in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, this year, to keep in line with Covid-19 regulations, the event will take place over five days as opposed to four, to accommodate the restricted number of daily visitors to the show.
The Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP) has reported that over the past two years, South Africa’s agricultural sector has been one of the few top performers contributing positively to the country’s economy. According to the BFAP, in the past 24 months, agriculture was one of only four sectors of the economy to register improved growth, exporting $10.3 billion of agricultural products in 2020 and a record high of $12.4 billion worth of products in 2021. During 2020, the agricultural sector grew by 13.4% and in 2021 by 8.3%, second only to the mining sector, which achieved growth of 11.8%. The NAMPO Harvest Day is a platform for key role players in the agricultural industry. It offers an opportunity for conversation and dialogue among visitors and exhibitors and the chance to experience commercial agriculture and food safety and security in action.
Grain SA is the organiser of the event, now the 54th 2022 NAMPO Harvest Day. Dr Pieter Taljaard, CEO of Grain SA said the organisation is committed to implementing appropriate and necessary measures in relation to governmental requirements to host the event safely. “The health and safety of visitors, exhibitors, staff, sponsors and the whole agricultural community during the NAMPO Harvest Day remain paramount. The organisation will be further guided by current best practice to ensure all appropriate and required health and safety checks are in place to facilitate the hosting of a successful and valuable event for all involved,” he said.
Taljaard added that the Harvest Day will provide a much-needed injection to the local economy after its two-year absence. He said too that the economic importance of NAMPO for participating corporate, medium-sized and small businesses from all over South Africa should not be underestimated.
Danise Smit, Sales and Customer Services Director for RS Components in South Africa said the company will be showcasing some of its IoT and Food Safe products and solutions at NAMPO. “At this time of the Fourth Industrial Revolution the use of smart connected devices is becoming the norm in a number of sectors and the agricultural sector is starting to explore the potential. By adopting new technologies and the Internet of Things (IoT), farmers can monitor their farms remotely and gain quicker access to important environmental data which can assist in improved planning and potentially better yields. RS has several IoT devices and solutions that can help the agricultural industry on its journey in 4IR.”
RS Components also offers a range of Pro Food Safe maintenance products for use in food processing and farming which will be on display at this year’s show.
NAMPO Harvest Day runs from 16 to 20 May 2022. It showcases the role of the commercial agriculture sector in South Africa, highlighting the country’s farming industry as a scientific and sophisticated economic sector committed to providing the nation with safe and affordable food.
For more information visit: www.grainsa.co.za or www.za.rs-online.com
