Sell your products with a sense of pride – African Farming

When she interviews Abel Naphtaly, Lindiwe Sithole, the host of African Farming Season 2, sees first-hand the role dedication, passion and hard work play in running a successful commercial farm. “He has gathered so much wisdom and knowledge over the years; I think it’s his key to success.”

Naphtaly holds his legacy in high regard. “Farming is not simple at all,” he says. “I experienced a number of setbacks and challenges over the years, but I persevered because of my deep love and passion for my animals.” 

He wants his business to become a household name and strives to produce quality products that can be traced back to his name. “If you taste my products, you must know it comes from this farm.” 

Traceability is currently at the forefront of industry discussions around the globe. The benefits are clear: the more transparent a farmer is, the more it will increase consumer confidence in their products, creating new avenues to market products more efficiently too. 

Sithole sits down with Praveen Dwarika, managing director of Lemang Agricultural Services, to discuss the importance of traceability when farmers want to build trust between them and consumers. 

“Traceability can be observed from two different contexts,” Dwarika says. “Consumers want to know where their food comes from, but they also want to buy into the story behind their food.” The conscious consumer wants to understand the family history and legacy behind the product, he explains. “Then it should be backed up by the quality of the product.” 

According to Dwarika, this builds so much trust that consumers then come to appreciate what they receive on a plate of food. “If you can produce such a piece of meat, you can sell it with a great sense of pride,” he tells Sithole.