The Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries will embark on a week-long oversight visit to various farming areas in the Free State to assess the progress made by government, and scrutinise the impact of the state interventions such mechanisation programme and broader infrastructure programme that supports farming towards ensuring food security for all in SA.
The oversight visit, which forms part of the Committee’s mandate to ensure food security, gets underway today, Monday 29 July until Friday, 2 August across all districts of Free State.
The visit will among other things, accord members an opportunity to interact with beneficiaries and determine whether the programme is making a positive difference in the people’s lives, determine the effectiveness with which the government’s mechanisation programme funds are utilised and identify any challenges that are prevalent in various districts and provinces in implementing the programme.
Also, importantly this will assess the impact these infrastructure programmes have on the farmers towards accessing the markets, and oversee progress made on the infrastructural development including irrigation schemes, fences and roads.
The Committee has previously raised concerns with the national department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries over lack of proper monitoring and accountability of the mechanisation programme and insufficient additional support to farming communities on the uchristopher@centralmediagroup.co.zatilisation and maintenance of state-donated farming equipment.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact:
Mr Foster Mohale, Parliamentary Communication Services
Cell: 072 432 3792
Tel: 021 403 2239
E-mail:fmohale@parliament.gov.za
