The views expressed in our weekly opinion piece do not necessarily reflect those of Farmer's Weekly.
This is an edited excerpt of the keynote address given by Prof James Blignaut at the MPO-Nedbank Stewardship Awards event on 30 November 2022.
Blignaut is a member of the scientific panel of the World Farmers' Organisation, professor extraordinaire attached to the School of Public Leadership of Stellenbosch University, and honorary research associate of the South African Environmental Observation Network. He is also director of ASSET Research and manager of Restore Africa Funds. Email him at jnblignaut@gmail.com.
“ The prolonged financial support of conventional agricultural practices, knowing all too well the detrimental effects these have, can be compared to reckless lending, if not de jure, then definitely de facto.
It's therefore important to celebrate the visionary leadership of bankers who acknowledge the need and urgency to support conservation
