The African Farming AgriFund Connect Summit 2025 opened with a powerful and practical discussion titled “Compliance Made Easy: Navigating Regulations, Standards and Certifications”.
By Maphuti Mongatane, Business Development Manager at African Farming
The session, facilitated by broadcaster and agricultural champion Angie Khumalo, brought together voices from across the agri value chain to unpack one of the most critical yet misunderstood aspects of modern farming – compliance.
The panel featured Thabo Banda from Banda Accountants; Keneilwe Raphesu from AgriDuo Consulting; Mpumi Maesela from SE Holdings; Sipho Modiba from Tiger Brands; Marcia Hlanjwa from Kuwala Financial Services; and Kobela Mokgohloa from Korema Farms.
Together, they shared their insights into how farmers can align business practices with financial, regulatory and market expectations, not as a burden, but as a pathway to growth.
Laying the Financial Foundation
Opening the discussion, Thabo Banda reminded farmers that compliance begins long before any inspection or certification – it starts with recordkeeping and financial discipline.
“When you walk into a bank, they look at your profit, your income and your management accounts,” he said. “If you can’t produce accurate financial statements, projections or repayment plans, the conversation ends before it begins.”
He emphasised that financial literacy and forward planning are not luxuries but lifelines for farm sustainability. Farmers must know their production cycles, expected sales windows and input costs, and maintain the documentation to prove it.
From Registration to Regulation
Keneilwe Raphesu, cofounder of AgriDuo Consulting, brought practical insights from her own experience as both a businesswoman and farmer. She urged farmers to prioritise the basics: proper registration, active Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) annual returns, tax compliance and genuine business banking.
“Why pay R1 500 for a registration that costs R175?” she asked. “Once you have your company registered, maintain it, file your returns, get your B-BBEE certificate and keep your paperwork in order. It’s not complicated, but it’s non-negotiable.”
She also noted the often-overlooked benefits of compliance, such as diesel rebates available to registered agricultural enterprises. “Farmers who formalise their operations can access opportunities that informal ones can’t, including savings and subsidies.”
Compliance as a Competitive Advantage
For Sipho Modiba, Procurement Manager for agricultural crops and vegetables at Tiger Brands, compliance is far more than a checklist, it’s a gateway to the formal market.
“Compliance is a strategic advantage,” he explained. “It unlocks opportunities and builds trust between farmers, processors and consumers. When you meet food-safety and environmental standards, you’re not just ticking boxes, you’re signalling reliability.”
He described how certification, traceability and consistent documentation are now prerequisites for suppliers seeking to work with major buyers. “We want farmers to see compliance as an enabler, not an obstacle,” he said.
Risk, Insurance and Financial Security
Marcia Hlanjwa, CEO of Kuwala Financial Services, highlighted that compliance extends to risk management. Without proper insurance and recordkeeping, farmers face devastating setbacks that could have been prevented.
“Insurance isn’t optional, it’s a shield for your livelihood,” she said. “Yet too many farmers are denied comprehensive cover because they lack production records or financial history.”
She explained that keeping records of yields, expenses and losses over at least five years is vital for obtaining the right insurance products. “Crop and livestock insurance safeguard your cash flow and ensure continuity when unforeseen events strike.”
Technology and Efficiency
Several panellists echoed the importance of digital tools. Banda highlighted how technology simplifies administration: “We used to spend three or four hours reconciling paperwork. With digital accounting systems, it takes 30 minutes. Even photographing receipts and saving them to the cloud can change how you manage your farm.”
The message was clear: digitisation is not just for urban businesses. It’s a tool that reduces costs, saves time and supports compliance in real time.
Farmers’ Voices: Questions and Challenges
During the Q&A, farmers asked pressing questions, from why fresh produce remains difficult to insure to whether compliance guarantees faster access to funding.
Hlanjwa explained that premiums are determined by risk and historical data. Without records, insurance companies can’t accurately price policies. Modiba added that different commodities carry unique risks, and underwriters assess them on a case-by-case basis.
One audience member challenged both the private and public sectors to make compliance tools and templates more accessible, and others called for a unified digital platform to centralise information for farmers. The panel agreed this would be a powerful initiative and African Farming was identified as an ideal partner to help bridge that gap.
A Shared Commitment to Transformation
As the session concluded, Khumalo thanked the panellists for turning what is often seen as a bureaucratic topic into a conversation about empowerment and opportunity.
The collective message resonated: compliance is not a punishment but a passport to growth.
“When farmers take compliance seriously,” said one panellist, “they move from survival to sustainability.”
Key Takeaways
- Keep records – financial statements, invoices and production data are essential;
- Register and maintain your business legally through CIPC and the South African Revenue Service (SARS);
- View compliance as opportunity – it opens markets and builds credibility;
- Insure and manage risk – protect your assets and ensure continuity;
- Use technology – digital tools simplify administration and accountability; and
- Collaborate and learn – collective platforms can demystify compliance for all farmers.
The “Compliance Made Easy” panel proved that the future of agriculture depends not only on soil and seed but also on structure and systems.
When farmers, financiers, policymakers and corporates work together, compliance stops being a barrier and becomes the foundation of sustainable agricultural success.
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