by Fawzia Rhoda, MPL
DA Northern Cape Provincial Spokesperson on Agriculture
Note to editors: The following is an extract of the speech delivered today by the DA Provincial Spokesperson for Agriculture, Fawzia Rhoda, MPL, during the debate on the budget of the Northern Cape Department of Agriculture, Environmental Affairs, Rural Development & Land Reform held in the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature at a sitting in Kimberley.
It is critical that this department only selects beneficiaries with a real, true passion for agriculture and the environment. The success of agricultural support programmes lies in the successful selection of beneficiaries, who will use departmental support to plough back into the land and back into the agricultural economy. Not everybody that wants land is suited to farming. If the department does not realise this, the Northern Cape agricultural economy will not thrive.
While the agricultural economy provides fertile ground for future growth and economic development, the provincial government must provide the support and direction needed for these opportunities to come to fruition. It is therefore worrying to note that the projected decrease of 16% in the number of producers supported in the red meat commodity market. Planning to support fewer producers in red meat commodity markets, along with very incremental increases in support to producers in grain commodity markets and a sharp reduction in support to smallholder producers, suggests that this department is not yet ready to capitalise fully on the opportunities for growth and development of both emerging and commercial farmers.
Aside from the essential expansion of economic opportunities, it is important that this department drives sustainable food production activities that can help to achieve the overarching goal of food security. It is therefore worrying to note the stagnation in the targeted number of hectares planted for food production and the lack of feedback on specific joint initiatives to improve food security in the province. This department will not get more nutritious food on more plates in the province by itself; it will require broader cooperation between sector departments.
We need to strengthen each other and support each other as we strive to do more rather than less for the farming communities of the Northern Cape.