Só-Ja! Soya Celebration Symposium: A Big Day for a Small Bean

The first local Soya Symposium hosted by the Pretoria Protein Company, Pretoria Protein Trading and Só-Ja! brought together leaders, thinkers, and doers from across the agricultural space – all with one shared focus: the future of the humble soybean.

After a warm welcome and refreshments, Prof. P Croucamp opened the afternoon, followed by Mr J Kaszas and Mr R du Preez who laid out the purpose of the day. Sustainability advocate Lorraine Jenks – known for her work in green procurement and climate education – reminded the room why soy deserves more credit as both a staple crop and an ESG asset.

Dr Azar Jammine, one of South Africa’s leading economists and Chief Economist at Econometrix, followed with a sharp and timely talk on geo-economics and the pressures and opportunities agriculture now faces in a shifting global landscape.

Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen later referenced this, saying, “Soya has been on the up and up, is a huge contributor to agriculture, with much more potential for even greater growth. By working together in the soya sector, we can help achieve the goals of growing the economy, creating jobs, and ensuring a vibrant, competitive agricultural sector. As they say, ‘Soy far, soy good!’”

The topics were so rich and relevant that it would be an oversight on our part not to share more – so keep an eye out for upcoming details on each speaker’s presentation. 

Another standout moment was the panel discussion on the evolution of the soya industry, moderated by Mr R du Preez. The panel featured insights from representatives of Feed First, Wilmar SA, Kuipers Group, and FR Waring International. The room was filled with straight talk, optimism, and clear respect for the power of collaboration.

The evening ended with dinner, entertainment, and a round of Appreciation Awards for significant contributors to the industry: Jan de Jager, Zubeir Moosa, Russell du Preez, and Billy Pillay.

This was a day for making connections, sharing knowledge, and setting a tone for where local soya is headed next. If you weren’t in the room – well, you missed something special. But don’t worry; the conversation is just getting started.