At the African Farming AgriFund Connect Summit held at the Birchwood Hotel & OR Tambo Conference Centre on 6 November, one of the most memorable and thought-provoking messages came from Praveen Dwarika, Managing Director of AFGRI Farmer Development.

By Maphuti Mongatane, Business Development Manager at African Farming

Speaking to a room filled with farmers, financiers and industry leaders, Dwarika delivered an unfiltered message about what it truly means to be ready for funding and growth in agriculture. His call was clear: farmers must go beyond the business plan and invest in their own readiness, integrity and belief in their ventures.

From Left: Gene Likhanya From Madimbo Agri Group; Hlobisile Yende From The Yende And Partners; Koketso Baloyi From Diatla Tshweu Farming; Praveen Dwarika From Afgri Farmer Development; Pauline Tsolo From The Land Bank); And Moderator Rebecca Phalatse From The Land Bank. Photo: Supplied — From left: Gene Likhanya from Madimbo Agri Group; Hlobisile Yende from The Yende and Partners; Koketso Baloyi from Diatla Tshweu Farming; Praveen Dwarika from AFGRI Farmer Development; Pauline Tsolo from the Land Bank); and moderator Rebecca Phalatse from the Land Bank. Photo: Supplied

Investing Across the Whole Agricultural Value Chain

Dwarika began by reflecting on AFGRI’s long-standing commitment to farmer development, a legacy that stretches back decades but continues to evolve with South Africa’s changing agricultural landscape.

“We have been active in farmer development for many years,” he said. “But our investment today goes beyond production. We are investing across the entire agricultural value chain, from inputs and equipment to logistics, training and agro-processing.”

He commended the Summit’s focus on agro-processing, noting that it is often overlooked when discussions centre solely on primary production. For AFGRI, he explained, sustainable transformation means connecting every link of the chain, ensuring that small-scale and emerging farmers are not isolated from markets, processing opportunities and value creation. “Farmers are the nucleus of our model,” he said. “But we’ve built around them, adding business units that provide equipment, inputs, logistics and insurance support. Transformation means enabling farmers to participate fully, not just produce.”

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Readiness Beyond the Business Plan

Shifting from structure to substance, Dwarika challenged farmers to look inward before seeking external support. “A great business plan on paper means nothing if you aren’t invested in it yourself,” he said. “Too often, we write business plans because a bank or partner asked for one. But if you had to sign that plan in blood, would you still believe every word of it?” He urged farmers to treat business plans as commitments, not documents; reflections of conviction, not convenience. True readiness, he added, comes from understanding the realities of the business, the risks involved and the work required to deliver on promises made to investors and partners.

“Ask yourself: am I really ready to deliver on what I’m asking others to invest in? Because readiness is not only financial, it’s emotional, operational and ethical.”

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Integrity is the Cornerstone of Agricultural Growth

Perhaps the strongest theme in Dwarika’s address was integrity. He described it as the cornerstone of sustainable partnerships, the quality that determines whether government, financiers and international partners will trust the sector’s transformation journey. “In agriculture, integrity is everything,” he said. “If we want long-term support and respect from institutions, we must never compromise it. Beyond every business plan and beyond every transaction lies one question: can we be trusted?” He reminded delegates that financing institutions do not “give” money, they invest shareholder funds with the expectation of accountability and delivery. “When you approach a financier, remember: we’re not just giving you capital. We are trusting you with responsibility.”

A Timely and Grounded Message

As the Summit continued its discussions on funding, compliance and market access, Dwarika’s words served as a reminder that transformation is built as much on character as it is on capital. His message resonated deeply among farmers, many of whom reflected on their own readiness and belief in their enterprises.

“Beyond the business plan comes belief,” he concluded. “And when you truly believe in your business, that belief becomes your first and strongest form of investment.”