The Chairman of Wal-Mart, Rob Walton, says his company has invested R100 million in South Africa in modern farming technology to engage in sustainable agriculture that will ensure future suppliers with little harm to the environment.
“We have engaged South African farmers to modernise farming techniques for better prices for our customers,” Rob Walton told the Summit on Sustainability in Africa in Gaborone this week.
In an interview, MWalton said Wal-Mart which recently acquired Massmart, the proprietors of Game Stores, has invested R100 million in farming technology with an initial of R30 million having been released to farmers to modernise their farming techniques with minimal environmental damage.
“It is our hope that this amount will be increased to cater for Wal-Mart’s operations outside of South Africa including Botswana which has a number of our stores,” he said.
Ten African leaders were in Gaborone for the two-day Summit on Sustainability in Africa which will map a way forward for the Rio de Janeiro (Rio +20) Summit next month in Brazil on climate change.
