Petrochemicals giant Sasol has established the Sasol Agricultural Trust, which aims to improve the competitiveness and sustainability of the South African agriculture industry and will provide support for enterprise development projects and emerging farmers.

The trust’s establishment was announced earlier this month and it will also support initiatives aimed at enhancing education and training programmes for farmers and the agricultural industry at large. In acknowledgement of grain’s large contribution to food security in South Africa, it will have a particular focus on the sustainability of grain production in the country.

Sasol will make a R30-million donation to the trust, which will be paid in three equal tranches over a three-year period. The trust will be administered by independent trustees for the benefit of the South African agri- cultural community.

Following extensive engagement with Grain South Africa and other agricultural stakeholders, Sasol identified the trust as an opportunity to increase its contribution to a sustainable agriculture industry.

“Sasol believes that sustainable agri- culture for food security is a priority for the continued development of the country. A successful agriculture industry is dependent on many factors, such as the availability of high-quality fertilisers and fuel, along with other products also produced in the Sasol value chain,” says Sasol Nitro MD Marius Brand.

“At Sasol, we are committed to South African agriculture and believe we have a significant role to play in this sector. Our company continues to invest in agriculture and the trust is a further extension of our commitment to supporting sustain- able growth in the industry and the development of farmers,” Brand says.

Sasol’s most recent agricultural invest- ments include a boost to the fertiliser manufacturing sector, with the development of a new 100 000 t/y ammonium sulphate plant, along with a new 400 000 t/y limestone ammonium nitrate (LAN) production facility. The LAN plant will be commissioned by mid-2012.

Sasol believes the cooperation and con- tribution by players along the entire value chain is required to collectively improve the competitiveness of the South African agriculture sector. This position is supported by Grain South Africa, which played a major role in assisting Sasol in the establishment of the trust.

“We welcome the announcement and view it as a positive gesture from Sasol to plough back into the South African grain industry,” says Grain South Africa chairperson Neels Ferreira.

Sasol Nitro manufactures a wide range of fertilisers at Secunda, in Mpumalanga, including LAN, ammonium sulphate and a range of ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulphate-based liquid and granular NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) fertiliser blends.