honour Ms Linda Nghatsane, the 2006 National Female Farmer of the year and
other farmers, Emnotweni Arena
5 September 2006
Programme Director,
MEC for Agriculture and Land Administration, Madala Masuku,
Political and traditional leaders here present,
The farming community of Mpumalanga and its distinguished leaders,
Government officials,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Allow me to take this opportunity to congratulate all the competing farmers
who participated in the 2006 National Female Farmer of the Year competition.
Coming a few days after the National Women's Month, this endeavour is a
testimony of efforts aimed at all-round gender equity, sponsored under our new
dispensation. In many ways this day belongs to the women of this province who
have conquered various challenges to take their rightful positions in the
agricultural sector.
It is common knowledge indeed, that since the origin of the family and the
social division of labour, women have been at the centre of food security of
many early societies to date, forever nurturing life, to the relief of all.
Today we celebrate the fact that role of feeding the nation has gone beyond the
kitchen into the production units of agriculture.
It is my understanding that the Female Farmer competition is an instrument
through which women's contribution to the fight against poverty is being
recognised and encouraged. This competition goes beyond recognising women as
the custodians of household food security but also as key economic players and
agents of growth in our society. We must return to the land, "Lehumo le tswa
tshemong". It is a well-established observation that socio-economic development
efforts tend to have more impact when women play a key role in them. We can
therefore say with certainty that the agricultural sector not only in
Mpumalanga but also nationally, will never be the same.
Program director, a nation that cannot feed itself is living precariously,
because it can be reduced to the status of an international beggar with its
independence compromised. Failure to produce sufficient food to meet domestic
demand implies the need to import food. Importing food in turn implies making
the stark choice of having to use foreign exchange reserves earned from other
export sectors of the economy to import food instead of importing technology
and machinery that could improve our productivity. Food security is therefore
an essential goal of government policy because it lays the basis for us to
address other pressing social and economic challenges.
Program director, we have an obligation to our people to ensure that at the
barest minimum, even before we can export any food, every mouth in our country
is fed. Unfortunately the market economy operates in a more complex fashion.
When we say we have overproduced a particular crop, what we mean is that the
industry has exceeded what the market can afford to buy. This has little to do
with how many stomachs are actually going empty. By supplementing people's
incomes through various means and feeding schoolchildren, government indirectly
adds to the demand for agricultural outputs and the growth of the sector.
Ladies and gentlemen, the importance of agriculture goes beyond agricultural
production itself. Historically, manufacturing, also known as
industrialisation, developed on the back of surplus production in agriculture,
which enabled various forms of value addition to take place. Savings from
agriculture also enabled investment in the then nascent industrial production.
Given the high levels of industrial and technological development surrounding
us today it is easy to forget this very important relationship between
agriculture and industry.
To a limited extent compared to manufacturing, agriculture also has some
linkages to other sectors of the economy where manufacturing and service
outputs become inputs in agriculture while agricultural outputs become inputs
in manufacturing in the form of agro-processing. Value-addition in agriculture
is therefore an important way of expanding incomes earned. It is for this
reason that government continues to champion efforts and programmes towards the
development of bio-fuels.
It is critical that previously disadvantaged farmers and women in
particular, participate in this development. Such participation must however
not be limited to the supply of the raw material inputs, be it soya, maize or
other crops. A way must also be found for the farmers to participate in the
value addition and innovation, in partnership with the established and
technologically advanced manufacturers.
Program Director, one of the flagship programs of government in agriculture
in Mpumalanga is "Masibuyele emasimini". This program of empowering subsistence
farmers with inputs, implements and know how for higher levels of agricultural
productivity needs the support of those farmers who are established. Those who
are at the early stages of their development will have a low failure rate if
they have sufficient knowledge to tap into as well as markets to supply. We
encourage you to forge partnerships with them and with government towards this
end.
Ladies and gentlemen, this day belongs to Ms Linda Nghatsane, the National
Female Farmer of the year. Congratulations madam. We are aware that you
probably do not wake up every morning driven by the desire to win awards but
the passion to realise your goals as a farmer. It is apparent however that
winning the award against such formidable national competition was not an easy
achievement. You have made us proud and we wish you all the best in your
endeavours. If anything, use this award as an opportunity to promote and grow
your business.
Thank you!
Issued by: Mpumalanga Provincial Government
5 September 2006
Source: Mpumalanga Provincial Government (http://www.mpumalanga.gov.za)
