Tell me about Afrikelp and the products it produces.
Afrikelp produces seaweed solutions extracted from sustainably harvested Ecklonia maxima kelp in Gansbaai on SA’s southwest coast. The liquid kelp extracts are standardised and form the base of our agricultural formulations, which are exported and used in more than 50 countries on a wide range of crops.
Our unique extracts contain natural compounds that, among other benefits, stimulate and support root and shoot growth for a variety of crops. Improved root structure leads to improved water and nutrient use efficiency and resistance to drought and other crop stresses.
What led to the discovery of using brown kelp in this way?
Using kelp in agriculture has been practised for many centuries, and there are records of humans using kelp for various applications from 2,000 years ago.
Kelps were used to fertilise lands that were not performing well, but there was little knowledge around why, when and how the kelp should be applied for maximum benefit.
Extracting the hormones and nutrients and spraying them onto the crops as a liquid biostimulant, rather than using it in the soil as a fertiliser or compost, really only started gaining momentum in the late 1990s.
What did you study, and how do you use what you studied in your work?
I obtained a PhD in chemistry at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in 2005, but I think that what you study matters less than how you apply yourself to your work.
Some jobs, like medicine and accounting, obviously require specialist studies, but to really excel, in any field, you have to be able to apply new thinking to new problems with your previous experience and learnings as the base to work from.
What do you think makes you good at what you do?
I think it is a combination of many things. I’m always looking for excellence and how things can be better, and I like to push boundaries and love problem-solving to find practical solutions to complex issues.
I love being challenged with brilliant thinking, and my view is that the best ideas should win, and these do not have to be my ideas.
I am constantly looking ahead and contemplating the consequences of strategies or actions and what may change in the future.
What did you want to be when you were a child?
I didn’t have a clue what I wanted to be when I was young. At one stage I wanted to be a vet because I loved animals so much, and then after school I thought I would like to be a mathematics professor.
There is always more to do and more to learn and more to contribute
I don’t believe that you have to know, and I also don’t believe there is only one perfect job or that you need to “arrive” at a certain job. There is always more to do and more to learn and more to contribute.
What is your go-to career advice?
I’d love to say find a career that aligns with your passion but, realistically, most people are not privileged enough to be able to get a job that is directly in line with their passion or purpose in life.
What I can say, though, is that people who engage with their job and colleagues and add value by making practical suggestions for improvements and who try to understand the business that they are in and how they can support growth or excellence in that role will always shine and reap the rewards.
No matter the role, people who are engaged and add value always get new opportunities.
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