95 Media, advocacy and reputation outcomes WHAT IT IS Grain SA’s media and advocacy strategy ensures that every public engagement supports producers’ interests while building the organisation’s reputation as South Africa’s trusted agricultural voice. Communication, PR, and Advocacy work together to influence national conversations on food security, market access, and sustainability. WHY IT IS IMPORTANT Credibility and visibility are the currency of advocacy. Every radio interview, TV insert, press article, and digital post shapes public and policy perception of the agricultural sector. For Grain SA, maintaining this visibility and reputation translates directly into influence – ensuring that grain producers’ perspectives reach decisionmakers and the broader public. WHO IS INVOLVED The communication team collaborates with Grain SA’s leadership, economists, researchers, and farmer representatives who serve as spokespersons. External stakeholders include media outlets, journalists, editors, and industry partners. Advocacy efforts are supported by the CEO, departmental heads, and communication staff ensuring message discipline. ACTIONS Proactive media engagement: Maintained active relationships with journalists and editors through targeted briefings, event access, and fact-based press releases. Thematic storytelling: Tied media activity to advocacy themes – agro-chemicals, tariffs, input costs, transformation, technology adoption, and climate resilience – ensuring every headline reinforced Grain SA’s strategic position. Spokesperson visibility: Coordinated interviews, commentary, and opinion pieces for key Grain SA representatives across print, broadcast, and online platforms. Media monitoring and analytics: Implemented tools & systems for live tracking of reach, sentiment, and issue share of voice. Crisis readiness: Developed rapid-response protocols for misinformation or reputational risks, ensuring coordinated and factual communication. Member-focused content: Produced consistent updates through newsletters and WhatsApp communities, keeping producers informed and engaged. OUTCOMES Consistent visibility across mainstream and agricultural media, with a positive or neutral sentiment profile exceeding 90%. Total reach of 11,86 million across platforms, driven by proactive event coverage and policy commentary. Over 4 700 media items published during the year, reflecting a growth in engagement and share of voice. Spokesperson presence in major national outlets strengthened Grain SA’s position as a credible and trusted sector authority. Media coverage themes aligned closely with advocacy priorities: transformation, market access, trade protection, and food security. The media monitoring analytics rollout provided tangible, reportable metrics to the Board – linking media exposure directly to strategic outcomes. IN SUMMARY The Communication and Advocacy function has matured into a proactive, data-driven and credible influence engine. Media relations are no longer reactive – they are strategic tools for agenda-setting. Each article, interview, or post now reinforces one central truth: South African grain producers are essential to national stability, food security, and economic growth. Continuous monitoring and performance evaluation remained central to communication planning. Through daily media tracking, sentiment analysis, and integrated dashboards, the team ensured real-time responsiveness and data-backed reporting to leadership. COMMUNICATION, PUBLIC RELATIONS AND ADVOCACY
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