Thank you very much, the master of ceremony
Thank you very much Mr Mannya for your words of prayer
Dikgosi/ mahosi/ tihosi
Representatives of farmers unions and commodity groups
Agribusiness partners
Our proud partners from IDC and University of Limpopo
Representatives from Women in Agriculture and Rural Development (WARD)
Youth in Agriculture and Rural Development (YARD) and cooperative movement
Representatives from the local government structures –mayors and councillors
Officers from the Department of Agriculture
Members of the media
Ladies and gentlemen
I bid you all a very pleasant good morning and extend a warm welcome to everyone present here. A special good morning is also extended to our radio audience on the community radio stations and the national broadcaster SABC stations.
As I stand in your distinguished presence today, my heart is filled with great pride and joy. I am overwhelmed by the common purpose for which we are gathered here this morning. The fact that we are all here to celebrate the official redistribution of our first batch of reimbursed loaned cattle by farmers which underscores that this Project is on the right track. A clear vision followed by programmes and plans well executed in every Sector in the Hallmark of this administration led by the Honourable JG Zuma.
It is this priority – to provide adaptable genetic resources in an easily accessible and on a sustainable basis to the people of Limpopo and South Africa at large – that has allowed us to celebrate success after success; victory after victory in the agriculture sector. The agriculture sector is burgeoning with promise and potential for increased economic activity.
Under this administration, the seeds were planted for our government’s vision for creating a sector that is modern, profitable, globally competitive, and most of all, capable of improving the quality of life for the hard-working citizens of rural communities of this great province.
Inspired by our nation’s farmers, who for decades have been pleading for the upgrade of the conditions under which they toil daily, we sat up, listened attentively, and took note of their concerns and recommendations. Then we began to steadfastly process those thoughts and water those seeds, offering kind words to encourage our farmers. This partnership’s development plan was the fertiliser that we added to guarantee increased livestock production to transform the livestock “red meat” industry from Agri-culture to Agri-business and to improve the nation’s food and nutrition security.
This partnership recognised the potential for big business in the sector. As a consequence we decided to plant the seeds for Agri-business in agriculture. We watched as those seeds germinate and burst through the soils of our nation’s thriving agricultural landscape, and considered ways toadd value to the harvest that was sure to come. Here we are!!!
So backed by the sector’s other stakeholders – the policy planners, the dedicated staff at the department, university and IDC, and the focused teams that steer key agricultural agencies, we nurtured the seedlings that those seeds produced - fertilising and pruning where necessary, always mindful of the watchwords of our fine, lovely rainbow, energy republic of – discipline, tolerance and production. This is why this morning, my friends, my countrymen, we can gather to reap another beautiful harvest – this time a harvest of young healthy pregnant heifers and performance tested Nguni cattle bulls derived from our farming community who benefitted first from the Limpopo IDC Nguni Cattle Development Project.
The Limpopo IDC Nguni Cattle Development Trust (LINCDT) is the vehicle that drives our partnership’s livestock development mandate through the loaning of livestock to the farmers. The Limpopo IDC Nguni Cattle Development Trust was created collaboratively with public and private sector participation between the Limpopo Department of Agriculture, University of Limpopo (UL) and the Industrial Development Corporation Limited of South Africa (IDC).
The project has been implementing some of our government strategies.
The project, as envisaged, has three major elements:
- promotion, maintenance and preservation of indigenous genetic resources
- research and development
- production and marketing.
This morning, I will not dwell on the first two in detail, except to say that a recent review of LINCDT’s operations revealed that mid-way through the five-year implementation plan, the projecthas managed to meet more than half of the objectives it was entrusted. I think the Trust has been doing exceedingly well.
Already, LINCDT has, among other things, introduced technology to:
- being registered as a stud breeder
- procure and loan out 433 registered Nguni Cattle
- establish 16 projects across the province
- provided technical and business capacity to farmers
- improved industry knowledge capacity to technical support team within the department.
Additionally, LINCDT has collaborated with the Limpopo Agri-business Development Academy (LADA) and the Nguni Cattle Breeders Society of South Africa (NCBS) to develop a range of capacity building programmes like the mentorship programme and other commodity specific training programmes for the farmers. To my knowledge Nguni cattle has the ability to thrive on a natural grazing and is well positioned to enter the market for grass-fed beef with excellent meat quality and tenderness. I am looking forward to seeing a greater supply of value added meat products in restaurants and supermarkets produced with upward of Nguni, therefore requiring greater number of Nguni cattle. The other area with an added economic potential is the value-added market for Nguni hides-either as intact hides or as a finished product such as covered furniture accessories. In this respect Nguni cattle can offer a unique sustainable product to the farmer.
Thanks to IDC for their initiative to fund this exciting project, farmers have been supplied with quality genetic material which serves as the nucleus herd and shall be propagated to cover as many farmers as possible. This morning, ladies and gentlemen, we are here to focus on the redistribution of the loan component of the project, as we come together to officially receive the reimbursed loaned cattle from the first participants and pass them on to new beneficiaries, living up to the founding principle of “Pass on the gift”.
Traditionally, the role of the Ministry of Agriculture revolved around primary agricultural production. However, with our government’s vision to transform the agricultural sector, the plan has now been changed to focus on the entire value chain – adding value to primary agricultural production to meet consumer tastes. Our farmers will know that we have been encouraging our farmers to “grow what we eat and eat what we grow.”
As a point of interest, ladies and gentlemen, our Limpopo IDC Nguni Cattle Development Project is on its fourth year. Our current financial year target was to distribute 200 Nguni cattle to the farmers. I am delighted to inform you that already we have distributed 100 Nguni cattle to three new beneficiaries. Over and above that we are in this quarter going to distribute a further 217 cattle to another seven new beneficiaries, this is made possible by working together as partners and the commitment and will from our most important stakeholders being you the farmers.
I therefore would like to take this opportunity to advise our farmers to apply during this window period as the advert is out and will be closing on 5 August 2010- “Go diega gabo tshwene ke go gadima morago - submit your application in time to avoid disappointments”. I can as well share with you that we are aware that some of our farmers could not qualify the criteria set for the selection of farmers. The main culprits being limited land size and many of you not owning the land you farm on particularly on communal land. As partners we have looked into the matter and I can safely say that we are working very hard to design programmes that will be relevant and equally sustainable for intervention in those said areas i.e. the bull project for farmers on communal land, small stock (sheep & goats) for farmers in small farms, etc. All this programmes will be revealed soon and farmers will be invited to apply for participation in due course.
The department has also been seeking to inject new life into the sector through our youth programmes, key among them is the youth structure in agriculture, better known as YARD. Last week we had a youth conference whereby as a department we engage the youth on various matters to ensure their optimal participation in agricultural sector.
All the agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture, for example the Agricultural Development Bank, the National Agricultural Marketing and Development Corporation, ARC and our own LADC have been working diligently encouraging more farmers to become businessmen. In excess of two hundred million rands (R200 million)of resources have been put into the sector by your government this year 2010 alone. IDC has also increased its initial budget for the project from R7,5 million to +- R10 million. We are also committed to assisting farmers to realize a fair return on their investment of labour, capital and entrepreneurial skills. We have pioneered these programmes to activate and reduce the high cost of input supplies into the beef sector.
Ladies and gentlemen, you may recall that on the 9March 2010 during the budget speech for 2010/11 FY, I have made a commitment that through this partnership we are going to establish 10 new projects. I am proud to say that by August 2010 we shall have achieved in delivering the target and this will allow us to focus on the core things like technical support commonly known as extension service, training and mentorship programmes to build the technical and business capacity of our farmers. The participating farmers have contributed significantly to this achievement and we salute them!
Ladies and gentlemen, another area which I have to mention is the contribution and support by the industry, the Nguni Cattle Breeders Society and its affiliate, the Northern Nguni Club for ensuring the supply of quality genetic material to the project. We salute you for your earnest support to the course in working together to support the emerging sector. Our objectives is to have increased production of healthy red meat, processed and manufactured food supplied to our citizens at more affordable prices. And today with this event, we are celebrating much success in advancing the objective in this regard and Limpopo IDC Nguni Cattle Development Trust needs to be congratulated on this effort.
My fellow stakeholders, the celebration of this project achievements marks yet another progressive step as this government “shepherds” the repositioning and restructuring of the agriculture sector. In summary this government has promised and delivered a whole lot within the agricultural sector during the past five years alone.
- We promised farms, we delivered.
- We promised more loan funds for Agri-Businessmen and women, we delivered in excess through MAFISA
- We promised cheaper lease rents for small farmers and we delivered
- We promised training for youth in agriculture, we delivered LADA
- We promised more farmers’ markets, we delivered in several commodities.
- We promised more access roads, we delivered 155km and 510km by year end
- We promised more food at affordable prices, and we delivered
- We promised quality indigenous genetic material, we delivered Nguni Cattle and here we are today expanding the beneficiation.
Indeed, my friends, the old adage – “The proof of the pudding is in the eating” – couldn’t be more applicable. you can no doubt taste the difference that our government’s transformation plan for the agricultural sector has been making to every food crop farmer, every livestock farmer, every agribusiness owner, and every citizen of Limpopo.
This government’s commitment to improving the quality of life of rural communities and ensuring sustainability, profitability and competitiveness of our thriving agriculture sector cannot be challenged not even by a combined force. And you know why, you must first have a plan with an implementation mechanism to deliver on the plan. And this partnership has the capability and the plan for livestock “red meat cluster” development.
Clearly ladies and gentlemen, there can be no doubt that red meat cluster is one of the top priorities for this department’s MTF which addresses the PGDS. Already the collaborative programmes and plans for the sector are bearing significant fruits.
As MEC for Agriculture, I am confident that all the people of Limpopo will continue to reap the benefits of the initiatives of this partnership and enjoy the bountiful agricultural harvest with God’s blessings. This trust led by the Honourable Professor Mollel understands the problems facing emerging sector in Limpopo. It is capable and experienced. You will agree that all the evidence suggests that this government listens to the views of the ordinary people. And this certainly includes agriculture.
This administration has experienced and effective team members, who are united in delivering on its promises whether in the area of education, social welfare, effective transportation, agriculture, food production or health care.
As I close, I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to the Limpopo IDC Nguni Cattle Development Trust, technical support team and the farmers. I know that your hard work and commitment to your mission will continue to bear fruits, that we can no doubt direct other resources and commodities you to champion! I would also like to congratulate everyone who worked on making today’s function a resounding success. Good work!
I would also like to say a heartfelt thank you to you all – the IDC and University of Limpopo and all the stakeholders in the sector, the men and women who work so hard to the development of our beautiful province. Of course, I must thank all the people of Limpopo, for their support and encouragement. I am confident that you will wish to have the programmes and plans already in place for the agriculture sector to continue without interruption.
What you are certain of is that this public-private partnership collaboration has a plan that is working well for agriculture that is working very well for all of us. All you need to do is to help us to continue this exciting and bountiful journey together for even more bountiful harvests, with more food at affordable prices for the consumers; more money in the bank for the farmers in agriculture.
I thank you all and may God bless you and guide you as you go!!!
Source: Department of Agriculture, Limpopo Provincial Government
