C Dowry: Return of emerging farmers from Europe

9 March 2009

Programme Director Ms Joyene Isaacs, Ms Lina Keyter, senior officials from
the department, emerging farmers, ladies and gentlemen,

It is with great pride and excitement that I am standing here tonight to
welcome the emerging farmers back from their mission to engage with business
people in order to open up markets to export their products to go all over the
world.
I believe that as South Africans we are faced with two major challenges in the
agricultural sector.

Globally the marketplace is changing on a daily basis with its own specific
set of demands for agriculture. We have to keep up with the highly competitive
invaders of our traditional export markets and unequal competition with
subsidised produce that is offered to the consumers at much lower prices, even
in our own country. Many of these countries understand the value of ongoing
research with the emphasis on niche markets.

Locally we have to deal with the total transformation of the agricultural
sector in order to rectify the injustices of the past and to make sure that
land is distributed in a orderly fashion at the same time ensuring that all new
entrants to agriculture become sustainable farmers who can contribute to the
growth of the sector and thus making a meaningful contribution to the economy
of the country.

The government of the Western Cape is placing a very high premium on the
development of human capital, which is also one of the core aims of Accelerated
and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA). We believe that we can
develop our human capital to become more productive and susceptible to the
challenges of an ever-changing environment. Human capital development can
therefore make a significant contribution to attain the goals for sustainable
growth in agriculture as a whole.

It is our duty as government to make sure that our farmers will also
experience and share in the country’s wealth and I believe that agriculture
could be this vehicle to obtain that wealth. We are making every effort to
equip our emerging farmers, in order to equip them to take full ownership of
the land that belongs to them.

Since the birth of our new democracy, this government has worked tirelessly
to make sure that every citizen who has the desire to own a piece of land and
to work that land, has an equal opportunity to do so.

One of the greatest challenges is to eradicate poverty and to improve the
quality of life of all the people. Agriculture plays a pivotal role in our
fight against poverty and starvation.

During December 2003, the Western Cape Department of Agriculture and the SA
Agri Academy entered into an agreement to secure European Union (EU) market
access for emerging farmers.

As emerging farmers, you now had an opportunity, which is only given to a
few people, and this was done in conjunction with the SA Agri Academy who did
your training and collaborated to set up the appointments. Your visit forms
part of the AgriMatch programme that in its turn is part of the Western Cape
Department of Agriculture's key deliverables for 2008/2009.

We have had similar excursions in the past and we are witnessing the
positive results on our investment, with some of the previous groups who are at
present exporting their products to Europe. Through AgriMatch, the Western Cape
Department of Agriculture seeks to contribute to the priority objective of
increasing trade by between 10% and 15%.

This AgriMatch trip enabled the participants to:

*·increase their knowledge of the supply and trade structures and business
practices in EU markets,
*·gain a better understanding of the logistical chain,
*·gain a better understanding of the techniques of matching their exportable
products with the requirements of EU markets conventional and organic,
* improve their skills, knowledge and experience in designing and implementing
their product specific export market plans,
* share their knowledge and experiences with those of colleagues / co-owners in
their respective businesses,
*·enter into a contractual relationship with importers, buyers or retailers /
retailer foundations

Programme Director, from the feedback that I received, it is clear that we
have succeeded in our mission to empower our emerging farmers and give you, as
participants, the necessary exposure to develop your business opportunities and
at the same time grow your agricultural activities.

I want to welcome you back and I trust that you will build on the experience
gained through this excursion. We have empowered you. You must now use this and
develop your farms and markets in order to play your full role in the economy
of the province and the country.

Enquiries: Alie van Jaarsveld
Cell: 084 604 6701

Issued by: Department of Agriculture, Western Cape Provincial
Government
9 March 2009