Premier calls for better relationships with farmers

North West Premier, Ms Thandi Modise, has urged commercial farmers to build healthy working relations between themselves and the provincial government.

Speaking at the Annual Agri-North West Congress held at the local hotel on Tuesday, Premier Modise said there was a huge gap between government and commercial farmers, which needed to be closed.

“Agriculture plays a huge role in the economy of our province and we really need to work together as government and commercial farmers to increase production.

“We seriously need to tighten the relationship between government and the commercial farmers as this will really take our province forward. Agriculture is the backbone of the North West economy. As we prepare to host COP 17, we are all worried about the possible impact of climate change on food production,” she said.

The Premier said in order to increase the production in the agricultural sector, a good working relationship between black and white farmers had to be improved.

“If we want to increase production in the agricultural sector, we need to work together, black and white, male, and female farmers, government and commercial farmers.

“Our government is very serious about job creation and I strongly believe that working together with commercial and emerging farmers, we can contribute hugely in job creation.

“We do not take for granted the importance of farmers in our province. The truth of the matter is that we believe that the rate of poverty can be reduced through this sector,” said Modise.

She said the North West province was amongst the top producers of meat and need to do more in ensuring that they do more than the production. “As a province, we must ensure that we produce food and maintain our position as one of the best in the agricultural sector.

“We must not take our meat and other produce to other provinces or countries to be processed but we must do it locally. We must produce, process and export agricultural products. We don’t want to import meat, when we have the capacity. In pursuit of this goal, we must pay focused attention on agricultural school,” she said.

The Premier said even though the province had achieved a lot in the agricultural sector, a lot still needed to be done to further uplift the economy of the province and the lives of its people.

“In order to reclaim our position as the best in the agricultural sector, we need to put extra effort, commitment and a lot of discipline.

The Premier condemned on-going attacks on the farming communities. She told farmers that her government would leave no stone unturned to ensure that perpetrators were brought to book and that both farmers and farm-workers live in conditions of peace and stability.

She further appealed to farmers to work hard to improve the working conditions of farmworkers: “We are appealing for acceptable working conditions that are consistent with our democracy and Constitution. Cases of farmworker abuse are unacceptable.”

Modise congratulated those farmers who have taken the initiative to mentor emerging farmers.

“These augers well for the future of this country, and for the sustainability of the agricultural sector. There are challenges that lie ahead but we collectively need to work hard in addressing them,” she appealed.