The North West Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has received with excitement and optimism the nomination of Mr Sanele Makinane, a young farmer who is a member of the provincial Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) task team, to attend the 9th CAADP Partnership Platform meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Makinane (22), from Klerksdorp, who is also a member of the Black Young Farmers Association (BAYOFA) in the province, will be in the company of AFASA and NERPO Chief Executive Officer Dr Langa Simela and the Director for African Relations from the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Mr Winston Makabanyane. The three will attend a meeting that starts on Monday, 25 until 27 March.
Organised by the African Union Commission and the NEPAD Agency, the meeting will give representatives from the CAADP member states the opportunity to provide progress reports on the status of CAADP implementation process in their respective countries in 2012 and beyond.
The MEC for Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ms Desbo Mohono, says the nomination of Makinane and the contribution he is making as a member of the Provincial task team symbolises the potential young farmers have in the agricultural sector. “Young people are certainly claiming their space in the fight against hunger and joblessness, and their passion must be nurtured,” says Mohono adding that the Province is pleased about the efforts young people are making in helping to reach economic growth through the development of agriculture.
Makinane says as the only young person who is expected at the meeting that is scheduled to be officially opened by the Chairperson of African Union Commission, Dr Nkosasana Dlamini-Zuma, he expects to share ideas with members from other countries.
“Critical to our attendance at this meeting will be to learn best practices from other countries that will enable us to intensely and effectively implement the CAADP objectives as a province and the country at large,” said Makinane.
The North West is the first province in the country to conduct a workshop on CAADP followed by the establishment of a task team in August 2012. This team is assigned with the responsibility to design agriculture and food security investment plans which will outline provincial priorities and financial requirements for these plans, as well as fostering public private sector partnerships by stimulating the private sector to support the programme in various ways.
The discussions and outcomes of the 9th CAADP Partnership Platform Meeting will guide South Africa’s strategic implementation and integration of CAADP programmes at national and provincial level.
Contact person:
Bonolo Mohlakoana
Cell: 082 901 2435 or 018 389 5719
E-mail: bmohlakoana@nwpg.gov.za or mohlakoana.bonolo@gmail.com
