Programme Director
Farmers and farm workers
Members of the media
Officials from all spheres of government
Invited guests
Ladies and gentlemen
Molweni, sanibonani, dumelang, goeie more, good morning to you all and may I convey greetings from our Gauteng Provincial Government, led by the honorable Premier Nomvula Mokonyane.
Good morning and thank you all for coming to this important event, Clean and Green and Bontle ke Botho at the Spring show. I would like firstly to thank Tshwabac for partnering with the department for this important event
This is one of many agricultural expos my department will be hosting in an effort to revive agricultural expos in the province. The revival of Gauteng Agricultural expos will complement the efforts of implementing the Gauteng Agricultural Strategy. In addition, it will create an additional platform for the agriculture industry and stakeholders across the value chain to interact successfully with the farming clientele within and outside the Province.
Agriculture remains an important earner of foreign exchange and a big provider of employment, despite relatively small share of the total Growth Domestic Product (GDP), it still an important sector in the South African economy. Its strong indirect role in the economy is a function of backward linkages to other sectors. The purchasing of goods such as fertilizers, chemicals and implements forms backwards linkage with manufacturing sector while forward linkages are formed through the supply of raw materials to industry. About 68% of agriculture output is used as intermediate products in the sector. Agriculture is therefore a crucial sector and an important engine of growth for the rest of the economy.
Progressive developments in the agriculture sector will positively impact on other economic sectors of the country as well. The increase in agricultural produce will in turn support the growth of companies that manufacture agricultural inputs such as fertilisers, chemicals and implements and those that manufacture agricultural foods through the supply of raw materials. Agriculture is a crucial sector and an important engine of growth for the rest of the economy.
The objectives of this Gauteng Agricultural expo at this Tshwane Spring 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. The show happens seven days before we hold an international conference on Biotechnology. The expo will showcase outcomes and outputs of Gauteng biotechnology and agro-processing strategies relative to the smallholder farmer, emerging farming sector and commercial farming sector. It will enable the Agricultural sector to identify and explore possible partnerships with Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD) on various programs.
It will also serve as a learning avenue for interns and agriculture students about the farming sector and career options.
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)
Opopportunities exist within the department and indeed throughout the Gauteng Provincial Government for entrepreneurs across the agriculture value chain. Not only are there opportunities for primary producers such as those who produce eggs, vegetables, broilers and other agricultural commodities but increasingly opportunities abound for value adding in line with our Agro-processing Strategy. These opportunities exist for those entrepreneurs who would like to produce according to market specifications, e.g. who meet the requirements of branding, packaging, grading, etc., and also for those entrepreneurs who are into construction, since the department allocates many millions of rands towards the construction of agro-processing infrastructure every year.
This year alone R20 million has been allocated to the construction of agro-processing facilities. Female entrepreneurs should take advantage of these opportunities.
There are also many opportunities for entrepreneurs in the tertiary sector. Every year, the department hosts a minimum of five major events to consult with key stakeholders and to showcase key projects and achievements. Entrepreneurs involved in event management and catering must take advantage of these opportunities. There are more opportunities in the financial sector where Direct Financing Institutions (DFIs) are required to distribute funds to farmers through Micro Agricultural Finance Institute of South Africa (MAFISA). The department is also finalising plans to revive marketing schemes. This marketing plan will be finalised by the end of the financial year. These marketing schemes will focus on marketing agricultural commodities especially for emerging farmers, to enable the farmers to focus on production.
Remember: working together we can do more !
Thank you.
