Dawid Diederichs

Experience

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  ELI Development Services

  Jan 2008 - Jan 2012

  Assistant Project Coordinator

  Supported senior project managers with the coordination of agricultural business development, farmer support and incubation, and business consulting in southern Africa. Function’s Summary:• Implemented agricultural learnerships through training students in plant production,• Assisted senior consultants with farm team management training for people and performance growth,• Assisted with the general administration and management of agricultural project implementation,• I was responsible for general office management and arranging meetings and farmer engagement. Show less

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  IBSECAD LTD

  Feb 2012 - Feb 2013

  Engineering Draughtsman

  Worked as a junior engineering draughtsman for an engineering design firm in the Cape Town office, headquartered in the UK.Function's summary:- Illustrated 3D Piping and Schematics drawings and diagrams for clients in England,- Worked in a team that designed installation drawings for major construction companies,- Drawings covered wastewater piping, heated and chilled water, HVAC, natural gas lines, and electronic containment through steelworks.

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  ELI Development Services

  Mar 2013 - Feb 2017

  Project Manager

  Managed, implemented and supported agricultural projects led by ELI in South Africa, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe. Agri-projects I managed and administrated included Western Cape Oils, Eksteenskuil Co-op, Business Viability studies, Cape Linseed and Karoo Farmer Incubator. I also provided consultation on crop and pest management, fertilizer management, market requirements and farm team development. Project's Summary:Western Cape Oils - Contracted local producers for oilseed, consulted on seed production and crop protection, harvest management, and in-charge of logistics. Operated the oil expeller and supervised the production team to press cold and hot oil from linseed.Eksteenskuil Co-op - Coordinated the establishment of 200 ha of vineyards for raisin production, including soil profiling, vineyard design, crop management, and mapping of production areas. Business Viability Studies - I led viability studies for ornamental and fruit production businesses in southern Africa Cape Linseed - Supported initial business establishment and development. Worked with and provided consultation to farmers on the production of oilseed for optimal seed yield to deliver on production targets. Karoo Farmer Incubator - Supported apple orchard establishment, farm production planning and design, and brand design and marketing.General functions:- Managed finances, administration and logistics on various agricultural projects.- Network development, building and maintaining business relationships with farmers and sales & procurement managers. Show less

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  CAPE LINSEED

  Jan 2016 - Jul 2018

  Production Manager

  I established and managed the Cape Linseed oilseed processing factory in the Western Cape, South Africa, and oversaw business expansion and profit generation. My functions included management of seed cleaning and seed mixing, seed and health industry market engagement, sourcing oilseed, advising local producers on oilseed yield, and managing importing, incoming and outgoing logistics.Function's summary:- Managed the finances, administration and logistics of this seed cleaning company.- Built and maintained close relationships with farmers and seed clients.- Supervised stock control, imports and production.- Managed the trained production team to ensure compliance with high food-grade certification for food safety management (HACCP, FSSC 22000:2018).- Undertook training and performance reviews of the production team.- Sourced seed cleaning machines from Turkey within two months.- Operated large seed cleaning machines, packaged sunflower- and linseed and delivered towholesalers. Show less

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  Swerwer Wines

  Jan 2021 - Jan 2021

  Cellar Intern

  Four week farm internship in the Western Cape, South Africa, where I assisted the management team with pre-harvest orchard preparation, grape sugars testing and general cellar work (crushing, destemming, wine production, cleaning).

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  Haraszthy Vineyards

  May 2021 - Aug 2021

  Vineyard Intern

  15 week farm management internship in Northern Hungary, Europe, as part of my B.Sc. Horticultural (Agriculture) studies. Working under the Vineyard Manager, I assisted with vineyard growth and harvesting maintenance, general farm management, and helped out in the cellar while bottling. My responsibilities included bud and shoot thinning, stem cleaning and plant manipulation, bunch thinning, leaf thinning, yield estimation, Brix measurement, controlling for pests and diseases, tractor operation, mechanical pruning, erecting trellising, and planting of vines. Show less

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  Dorenberg Orchards Ltd

  Jan 2022 - Jan 2023

  Farm Manager

  Planned, organised, directed, controlled and evaluated the operations and functions of the farm; 10 acres of ambrosia, gala, sunrise, and cider cultivar apples, and 10 acres of Pinot auxerrior and Riesling wine grapes. - Farm management & maintenance: general orchard management of pruning, raking, tree & vine training, shoot thinning, apple thinning, leaf removal, hedging and picking in orchards. Maintaining machinery, equipment, and buildings. Installing and repairing trellis and irrigation systems.- Team Management: Supervising and training work teams.- Production Management: Implementing strategies for maximum yield and quality. Maintaining food safety records and participating in Food Safety Audits.- Integrated Pest Management: Monitoring trap counts, scouting fields for pests and disease issues. - Spraying Operations & Application: applying pesticide and nutrition crop treatments.- Record keeping: Keeping detailed pest management, spray, and production records. Show less

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  Kitsch Wines

  Feb 2023 - Feb 2024

  Vineyard Manager

  Work on maximising efficiency and ensure that yield targets are met accordingly.Plan the day to day operations, annual spray programs, vineyard maintenance and oversee and motivate the vineyard teams. Manage the irrigation planning, IPM, and overall health of the vineyards. Establish and manage the viticulture technical budget and ensure costs are controlled. Work closely with our buyers to achieve projected yields at high quality and oversee crop maturity sampling and monitoring of vineyard conditions during harvest.Researching new and innovative ideas to enhance efficiency of our practices and keep abreast of the viticulture industry worldwide. Constantly collecting and tracking the vineyard data and building a database of GGD, ET rates and IPM logs. Spending time with everyone on the farm to ensure good relationship building and smooth operations. Show less

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  Quails'​ Gate Winery

  Feb 2024 - now

  Assistant Vineyard Manager

  Key Responsibilities- Lead the TeamTrain, coach and motivate team members to achieve vision and the day-to-day tasks.Responsible for overseeing all day-to-day vineyard tasks and duties. Responsible for directing staff in the correct vineyard procedures and assisting with staffing.Assist in scheduling weekly staff work plans and submitting payroll information on time.Monitor the vineyard health for disease, deficiencies and stress. Provide a presence in the vineyard to ensure activities are done to Quails Gate standards including operation of vineyard equipment and vehicles.Operate all equipment on the farm, including tractors as needed. Ability to plan several steps ahead, prioritise daily tasks, and supervise multiple projects at one time.Follow and promote safe operating procedures, support safety programs and policies to safeguard personal safety, company property and the environment. Represent and promote the brand in a professional manner at all times.Participate actively and constructively as part of the Vineyard Management Team.-Operational and FinancialWork with the Vineyard Management team to control expenses and costs.Work closely with the Viticulturist and Vineyard management team to ensure a smooth efficient operation.-AdministrationEnsure day-to day administrative systems are in control.Ensure daily/weekly/monthly reports are completed as required.Keep accurate and up-to-date records of all tasks completed by the team. Continuously look for ways to improve operations by suggesting cost savings, and quality enhancements. Show less