Programme Director:
Executive Mayor of the host city: Honourable Councillor Gwen Ramokgopa
The CEO of the Tshwane International show; Mr Wim du Toit, and other officials of Tshwane Show
Executive Mayors, Speakers, Chiefwhips, Members of Mayoral Committees and Councilors
Senior government officials from Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, National Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries, National Department of Rural Development and Land Reform including Land bank and Local government
Representative and members of Agri Gauteng:
Representatives and members of National African Farmers Union (NAFU):
Representative and members of Women in Agriculture and Rural Development
Representative and members of Youth in Agriculture and Rural Development
Other Agricultural formations/fora
The Private sector partners and Sponsors
All our farmers and exhibitors present
Members of the media
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
On Friday 27 August 2010, the Honourable Premier of Gauteng officially opened the Tshwane International show and I am honoured to officially open one component of the Tshwane International show;namely the Gauteng Agricultural Expo. In her keynote address, the premier acknowledged that the Tshwane show has become renowned as a festival of diversity, culture and lifestyle and a celebration of the legacy of the South African Agriculture. She encouraged everyone involved in agriculture to work hard in promoting food security and shy away from prioritising material accumulation ie. Starting with buying of big cars and big houses. She also encouraged partnerships in the farming sector.
This is in line with the ruling party's Manifesto demands of us to work together with commercial farmers to promote broad based economic empowerment to create partnerships between emerging and established farmers and to promote agrarian and land reform. This means that we will continue with excellent and productive approaches that benefit all farmers in agriculture but change those approaches that do not benefit the majority of the farmers. In June 2009, the premier and I therefore committed the Gauteng government to join hands with the farming community to promote the agricultural sector by amongst other initiatives, reviving the Agricultural Expo in Gauteng.
It is in this context that on 11 Decemner 2009, Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD) presented a proposal through a Cabinet Memo to the Executive Council on the revival and expansion of this agricultural exhibition and show in partnership with Tshwabac who had welcomed this initiative. Once this proposal was approved by the Executive council, GDARD officials moved swiftly to implement this decision. Ladies and gentlemen one of the promises or rather a commitment made at the beginning of our term of office has now been fulfilled by the Gauteng government working together with Tshwabac and yourselves. Our President of the Republic of SA was serious when he said ''Working together we can do more".
Before I proceed, allow me to express my sincere appreciation to all the role players and stakeholders who welcomed this partnership warm heartedly and you are all here with us today. To GDARD Head of Department (HOD), Agri branch Chief Director and the Director managing this project, the Expo event organisers, the Tshwabac/Tshwane International show Ceo, Mr du Toit, all government departments involved, the farmers, agri-businesses, input and equipment/machinery suppliers, exhibitors, Absa bank who sponsored some of Gauteng small holder farmers to exhibit their products and market themselves, Well done to you all, you have made us proud.
The objectives of this Gauteng Agricultural expo at this Tshwane international show are to:
- Provide a platform on experiences and information on agricultural activities in Gauteng and other provinces,
- Provide farmers and agri-businesses an opportunity to showcase their products to the sector and to the interested communities,
- Promote networking, interaction, partnerships, sharing of skills and knowledge amongst role players across the value chain,
- Promote Co-operatives and small enterprises to the market for them to grow into commercial farmers,
- Give effect to the implementation of the Gauteng Agricultural development strategy to ensure food security and competitive agriculture.
Ladies and gentlemen, the Expo will benefit farmers and other stakeholders in the following manner:
- Forge links with all key agriculture role players and stakeholders in Gauteng Province.
- Create an opportunity for the sale of agriculture related materials at promotional rates.
- Promote farmer interactions and farmer-to-farmer mentoring.
- Visitors to the expo will explore the extent of agriculture technology, innovation and creativity relevant to their farming operations in Gauteng.
- Showcase outcomes and outputs of Gauteng biotechnology and agro-processing strategies relative to the smallholder farmer, emerging farming sector and commercial farming sector.
- Enable the sector to identify and explore possible partnerships with GDARD on various programs.
- Enhance skills on farming and financial management, which is currently a challenge to the farming farmers. GDARD's future plans include revival of seminars on agriculture parallel to the expo.
- Serve as a learning avenue for interns and agriculture students about the farming sector and career options.
On a lighter note program director, people from other provinces and even many Gautengers who live in cities regard agriculture in Gauteng as non-existent, they say 'it's just a rumour that there is agriculture in Gauteng' or that there are rural or peri urban areas whose farmers feed the whole country and other African Countries. This exhibition demonstrates that you are there and you contribute greatly to food security in this country. This is in line with our GDARD Vision to create "viable, equitable and sustainable rural communities contributing to food security for all, and protected natural resources and environmental assets". To realise this vision, we have further committed to work together with yourselves to contribute to the following outputs/deliverables:
- Sustainable Agrarian reform with a thriving small and large farming sector,(dealing with access to productive land, finance, skills and markets as well as increasing productivity and investment in agriculture).
- Improved access to affordable, diverse and nutritious food,(through promotion of food gardens in within households, schools, churches, clinics for HIV & Aids patients, and food banks to deal with poverty stricken communities and in cases of disaster and loss of food).
- Improved rural services to support livelihoods.
- Improved employment opportunities and economic livelihoods.
- Enabling institutional environment for sustainable and inclusive growth, especially in rural area.
- Enhanced Quality and Quantity of Water resources (to deal with water demand for agriculture and households).
- Reduced greenhouse gas emissions, climate change and improved air quality,( to mitigate effects of climate change within the sector and to address energy efficiency in the sector).
NB. I was delighted to learn about a pig powered farm which generates electricity from pig effluent including pig urine to run the 520ha farm. The farmer is now planning to secure finance to provide the neighboring informal settlement with this form of power and gas for cooking. How Brilliant!
- Protection of Biodiversity (including protection of the agricultural land in the hubs).
- Sustainable environmental management (to deal with land management, soil erosion, and impact from mining eg. Acid mine drainage).
The National Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the honourable Ms Tina Joemat-Petterson raised an important issue during the 2009 Female Farmer Awards by saying, "Farming is a business in its own right. As business all players must be involved in activities that reflect business interaction and commitment. GDARD is here providing that opportunity for farming communities and agri-business to practice the business ethics that will grow the sector, individual agri-business and farms to make profit that will make their business sustainable, and most importantly to contribute towards the province's economic growth. The sector is presently contributing only 0.6% to the Gauteng GDP and 10% to the African Continent GDP. This is small percentage; it can be increased if we all take this opportunity with open hands and use it to our benefit." I say there is no time for lazyness and expectations to eat having done nothing. Our country is rich with natural resources that must benefit all our people. We can and we will build a Nation that feeds itself and our African continent & that doesn't depend on food imports.
In conclusion, I again wish to thank the Tshwane Show CEO for agreeing to partner with GDARD in creating this opportunity for the farming community to share their skills, knowledge and expertise that will stimulate food security and rural development in the province. We thank all the established farmers who continue to volunteer to share skills, information, knowledge and expertise with our emerging farmers, and encourage communities and learners or students who want to follow careers within the agricultural sector. This is part of what the Freedom Charter stated: "The people shall share in the country's wealth" that "the doors of learning and culture shall be opened" and that the land shall be shared among those who work it to banish famine and hunger.
To all our visitors please do not leave this hall without purchasing something. We hope and believe that you will all be on our side as we walk the long journey to food security and rural development in the years to come. 2010 is a year of action as declared by our State President, the Honorable Jacob Zuma. We must work harder and faster to stimulate food security and rural development
"Working together we can do more."
I thank you.
Source: Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
