Agriculture Committee calls for farmers’ relief
Members of the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries have observed the extent of damage caused by the current heavy rains in some parts of the country and call on the Government to provide the flood-stricken farmers and communities with the required relief to ensure that the floods’ repercussions do not result in dire food insecurity.
The Committee urges the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and other relevant stakeholders to minimise the impact of floods by ensuring that sufficient extension services to farmers, especially in Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Gauteng and North West areas, are received. The Committee further urges the Department to ensure that extension officers are highly visible during this period.
The Committee Chairperson, Mr Lulu Johnson, said that while disaster management and emergency services teams continue to issue early flood warnings and evacuate affected people, the Committee also calls upon the department and the industry to pay special attention to farmers and to dispatch extension officers to constantly monitor the situation across the affected provinces.
“Since the outbreak of these floods, we have heard few reports about the impact in the agricultural sector. However, this does not necessarily mean our farmers and their activities are immune to these floods. Thus, as the Committee, we are fully aware that the small and developing farmers will be the worst victims of this natural disaster. Hence we call for constant monitoring,” Mr Johnson said.
The Committee believes that the use of communications platforms, including national, community and social media, can improve efforts to disseminate messages and warnings to all farmers.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact:
Foster Mohale
Tel: 021 403 2239
Cell: 072 432 3792
E-mail: fmohale@parliament.gov.za
