Madame Speaker, Honourable Premier, Deputy Speaker,
Members of the Executive Council, Chief-Whip of the Majority Party,
Honourable Members of the Provincial Legislature, Representatives of NPOs, CBOs, Cooperatives and NGOs, Leaders of business, Farmers
Distinguished Guests, Members of Community and Officials, Members of Media,
Bomme le bo Ntate.
Good morning and thank you for honouring this house.
We are humbled by your presence since it affords us an opportunity to share our vision of creating vibrant, equitable and sustainable communities, provisioning of food security for all, and the protection and enhancement of environmental assets and natural resources.
We invite you to our journey of pursuing the above by unlocking the full potential of environment, agriculture and rural development to enhance the economic, ecological and social wealth of all the people in Gauteng as declared by our mission statement.
The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has indeed embraced a democratic order that has commissioned our resolve to build a nation, to eradicate poverty, and to create a better life for all. We thus commit to this agenda, our skill, capacity, resources and a caring humaneness that will ensure that no citizen in Gauteng goes to bed hungry regardless of their race, gender, socio-political preference and background. We have declared war on poverty as we say in Sesotho; “Tlala e nyele”.
Madame Speaker and Honourable Members,
I am honoured to present the 2014/15 Budget Vote of the Department of Agriculture, Environment Rural and Social Development (GDARD). I do so with a clear conscience of a mandate derived from the ANC’s 2014 Election Manifesto which identified rural development, land reform and food security as one amongst five year priority programmes. With this in mind, may I evoke a moral consciousness of every civil servant in our department and beyond to dedicate both time and effort in ensuring that our communities thrive on land that is equally shared and cared for to produce food that sustains human life.
My conscience also draws strength from an order by Honourable Premier Makhura in his State of the Province Address which highlighted the fifth administration’s ten-pillar programme of radical transformation, modernisation and reindustrialisation of Gauteng over the next five to fifteen years as underpinned by the ideals of the National Development Plan 2030 and the Gauteng Vision 2055. Amongst the pillars, Premier emphasised the need to radically transform and modernize the economy perhaps two pillars that speak to our department’s economic and social obligations to society in particular the residents of Gauteng.
It is for such reason that the department has adopted a social-activist mentality that should characterise every employee and citizen particularly when we aim to reverse the devastations of the Native Land Act of 1913 and its apartheid relatives and effects of former days.
In the same vein, we are reviewing our operations towards implementation of development oriented approach by seeking to effectively exposing and utilizing human potential that lies in our communities in our course to eradicate dependence on government.
In presenting this budget, I also note the declaration of Sections 27 of a democratic Constitution of the Republic of South Africa that advocates that every citizen has the right to access health care services, including reproductive health care, sufficient food and water, and social security, including if they are unable to support themselves and their dependents.
Members it is also important to consider the National Development Plan (NDP) as a policy framework that emphasises an integration of the country’s rural areas achieved through successful land reform, job creation and poverty alleviation as driven by expansion of irrigated agriculture and supplemented by dry-land production to sustain a vibrant economy.
Against such background, we enter these chambers as a fully informed department that is conscious of the urgency to execute its core function of creating vibrant, equitable and sustainable rural communities, provisioning of food security and the protection and enhancement of environmental assets and natural resources. By utilising our administrative capacity, the department assures Gauteng that it will pursue its targets by engaging the talents of an efficient, effective and development oriented public service.
Honourable Members,
In order to comprehend our value proposition, it is important to acknowledge the challenges and opportunities that characterize the Gauteng province in its contribution towards the overall wellbeing of our country. To refresh our minds, the province is over populated, yet small in the size of land and records high incidences of unemployment.
May I refer to the Census 2011 results that indicate a 30.7% population growth rate between 2001 and 2011 (the highest in the country and double the national change). Let us also consider that although relatively small in land area, the proportion of the population residing in Gauteng is 23.7% of the national population (StatsSA: 2012b).
The 2011 Quality of Life Survey reported that unemployment stood at 26.9% within the Gauteng City Region whilst levels of economic and spatial inequality and poverty stood at 22.3% of households living in informal and traditional dwellings (StatsSA 2012). Furthermore, the number of households experiencing hunger in the year prior to 2011 was 9.8% in Gauteng – the lowest proportion per province and just lower than the national average of 11.5% (StatsSA 2012).
Therefore, and whereas commentators and critics may subjectively focus on the R602.8 million value proposition of the budget and its disbursement thereof, may I state that every allocation was informed by a sensitive understanding of our unfortunate socio-political history and the ANC-led government’s creation of hope that has carried us in the twenty years of our freedom and democracy.
Honourable Members let me outline the budget for you:
The 2014/15 budget was adjusted upwards by R48.6 million from R554 million to R602.8million to address both departmental and provincial priorities. Therefore, in unpacking the merits of the budget, may I again refer the house to both the economic and agricultural profile of Gauteng so that we gain insight into our mandate and its anticipated outputs.
- Gauteng is the economic hub of Southern and Sub Saharan Africa with a contribution of 10% towards continental Growth Domestic Product (GDP)
- It is the major hub of agribusiness in South Africa and plays a key role in national food security
- The contribution of primary agriculture to Gauteng’s GDP is 0.5%
- The contribution of total agriculture value chain including secondary and tertiary tiers to GDP is 2.3%
- The province hosts the headquarters of most commercial agricultural and food companies, offering a concentration of agri- processing infrastructure (plant, horticulture and livestock) and markets (such as the fresh fruit and vegetable markets).
- Despite its high levels of urbanization, Gauteng has 1 393 353m hectares of farm land including small holdings, mostly in the rural or peri-urban areas, home to about 4% of the total population.
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The province has three-tier agricultural typology comprising of commercial, smallholder and subsistence farming which is predominantly in rural areas
On the one hand, challenges in agricultural and rural development in Gauteng include: - increasing food insecurity at household level,
- increasing risk of animal diseases,
- loss of high potential agricultural land,
- increased cost of food compared to the profitability of farming,
- reduction in farm sizes,
- increased cost of production,
- increased pollution and a lack of infrastructure and institutional support for meeting minimum or basic human needs and services in the rural areas.
The above profile and its specific elements of concerns therefore invite rational, strategy and precision of execution of any allocated budget and programme to meet the demands of the complexities of its demographical, geographical and economic outlook. Therefore, at the core of this budget, lies the immediate challenge to provide food security, land reform and productive use of land, and caring for the environment and its natural resources.
It is for that reason that our department’s’ Outcomes 5a on Vibrant, Equitable and Sustainable Rural Communities and Food Security for all was budgeted for R283million in the current year to pursue and overcome some of the challenges listed above. A breakdown of this outcome (5a) indicates that:
a) Agriculture Economic Services received R26 million
b) Farmer Support and Development received R122.8 million
c) Research and Technology Development Services received R28 million
d) Sustainable Resource Management received R36 million whilst
e) Veterinary Services received R61 million.
Fellow members,
With the R122 million allocated towards Farmer Support and Development, the department will provide advice and support ranging from farm level to sector level based on sound scientific principles and analysis. Furthermore, it will develop and facilitate the implementation of support programmes to link commodity-based cooperatives with mainstream markets and downstream agro-processing enterprises.
Given Gauteng’s economic profile, our primary goals is to see more farmers entering secondary and tertiary economic activities in the broader agricultural sector and within Gauteng specifically.
The programme will also facilitate coordinate and provide support to Black smallholder and commercial farmers through sustainable development within agrarian reform initiatives in the province. In the next five years the department will assess 400 smallholder farmers, provide infrastructure and production inputs to 730 whilst 36 Commercial farmers will be supported through various skilling programmes.
Sub-programmes also include Farmer Settlement and Development, Extension and Advisory Services and Food Security. Extension and Advisory Services ensures that the quantity and quality of extension services improve in order to better the production rate, and the quality and safety of agricultural products. In the next five years the department will support ninety Commodity Groups, and dispatch Extension Officers to reach 20 000 small-holder farmers.
The purpose of Food Security programme is to facilitate access to affordable and diverse food through the delivery of agricultural projects at communal and household level. In the next five years the department will facilitate access to affordable and diverse food by developing 60 000 Homestead Gardens, 325 School Gardens, 325 Community Gardens and 10 Food Security Awareness Campaigns. Our motto of One-Household-one-Garden will take course to encourage domestic production of food as opposed to illegal mushrooming of backyard shacks and unsustainable dwellings.
To further enhance food security through Gauteng Urban Agriculture Plan the department will pursue the NDP Fetsa Tlala Project by:
1. Creating awareness of the key role which Urban Agriculture can and does play in urban food security and what support is available locally
2. Linking cities to collaborate with a range of stakeholders including agriculture NGOs to maximize impact
3. Giving support on production inputs whilst discouraging absolute dependence on government
4. Identification of restrictive by-laws and implementation of such where possible
5. Giving considerations of land access and tenure, water supply and market accessibility
6. Supporting for Urban Agriculture needs to be incorporated into urban physical planning processes through the formal provision of land for urban farming.
An additional mechanism towards food security includes implementation of the Aquaculture Strategy through an Aquaculture Action Plan which outlines the key strategic objectives, actions, outcomes, outputs and responsibilities. The Department will train 500 youth and women on aquaculture this financial year. We will work with municipalities such as Midvaal, Emfuleni and Mogale City Local Municipalities to produce specialist farmers that will contribute towards stimulating local economies and creating opportunities for others.
In addition, Food Security includes targeting communities in the fifty poorest wards that will be supported through backyard food gardens, community food gardens, food banks and several other measures. To support its overall approach the Gauteng Provincial Government has adopted the following strategies:
(a) Improved agricultural production incentives that encourage the production of non-traditional export crops.
(b) Support to research and extension to improve its effectiveness, and to promote private sector participation in production, processing, storage, input supply and marketing.
(c) Improved rural infrastructure.
(d) Reduced post-harvest losses.
(e) Introduction of an Early Warming and Crop Monitoring System to more regularly and systematically assess the national food situation.
Since Gauteng falls within the highly intensive, diversified commercial and subsistence agricultural zones of South Africa, the department will also focus on the Maize Triangle Project known for its grain cropping, ranching and dairy, poultry and piggery farms.
To date, through partnership with the Rand Water Foundation, 276 farmers within the Maize Triangle (Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, Sedibeng, and West Rand) have been supplied with production inputs (maize seeds, fertilizers, herbicides and fuel), training and capacity building.
During this planting season, 33 farmers will be assisted to plant over 2000 hectres of maize and 500 hectres of dry beans through the provision of production inputs such as seeds, fertilizers and crop- maintenance chemicals.
The Maize Triangle Programme has been running in Gauteng province from 2009 to establish domestic and international markets for maize farmers. Two grain cooperatives from Sedibeng (Lesedi) have exported 164.14 metric tons to Lesotho. We have every reason to be proud of the men and women that are part of the maize triangle programme and we will ensure that it expands to make significant contribution towards Gauteng GDP.
Furthermore, 31 maize-producing farms have been settled within the Maize Triangle through the Land Reform Farm Programme (DRDLR) and supported with infrastructure such as boreholes, storage facilities, fencing, irrigation systems, farm implements and production stock. The total investment on these farms through the Recapitalization and Development (RECAP) Programme is about R60 million.
The agro-processing programme has also assisted farmers with packaging facilities, grain silos, milking parlous, milling plants and abattoirs. Twenty eight Agro-processing projects were supported with infrastructure and equipment such as citrus/vegetable pack houses, egg grading machines; vegetable packaging machines.
Over the past 5 years, 23 cooperatives received contracts from government to supply fresh vegetables and eggs to hospitals and more farming projects and cooperatives will be supported to obtain government contracts through the supply of food to school feeding schemes, food banks, hospitals, orphanages and rehabilitation centres.
GDARD has committed to establish four milling plants in Gauteng in conjunction with the Department of Trade and Industry (the DTI).The milling plants have already been secured from Buhler and will be established in Ivory Park, Randfontein, Rietfontein and Holfontein. It is expected that GDARD will contribute to the running costs of the milling plants for the first three years in order to create sustainability before exiting the project.
The department will also assist smallholder farmers to establish abattoirs over the next 5 years. Focus will be on the establishment of poultry, red meat as well as pork abattoirs. To date one pork abattoir has been established in Sedibeng. GDARD has already signed a Service Level Agreement (SLA) with the South African Poultry Association to establish poultry abattoirs in the Province. The first two will be established in the Tshwane North as well as the Randfontein areas.
Madame Speaker,
In line with the National Development Plan’s requirement to stimulate economic growth by facilitating small holder farmers and improving public health the department will increase its Veterinary Services primary animal health and clinical services to small holder livestock farmers and previously underserviced areas.
Over the next two years the department will establish a clinic in Hammanskraal, commissioning one large well equipped mobile clinic, and 8 smaller mobile clinics. Seventeen newly qualified veterinarians undergoing Community Service Training will provide the necessary human resource. This service will help to improve the efficiency and economic viability of smallholder livestock farmers as well as improving public health by combating foodborne disease and diseases spread from animals to man.
In order to facilitate exports of food and animal products (especially from small holder farmers) the department will intensify its disease surveillance and outbreak control capacity. This will ensure that the sanitary status of the province remains at a level acceptable to our trading partners allowing trade to occur as well as improving production by limiting the deleterious effects of disease on production.
Honourable Members,
As part of its contribution to the radical transformation of rural areas in Gauteng, GDARD continues to lead and coordinate the work of all GPG departments and municipalities including the national Department of Rural Development and Land Reform in the province. The department continues to coordinate rural development by ensuring that all provincial departments in Gauteng contribute to the development of the designated rural nodes of Devon, Bantu-Bonke/Mamello, Kwa-Sokhulumi and Hekpoort. All departments have already been requested to provide their 2014-2019 plans indicating the work that will be done in the rural areas.
Under the leadership of the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform, the President signed into law the Land Rights Restitution Amendment Act 2014 which effectively reopens land claims for the next five years until June 2019. The offices of DRDL in Gauteng province will identify, acquire and allocate 9000 hectors of strategically located land for redistribution and restitution in 2014/15 financial year. This will result in 25 households land claims being settled.
Furthermore, Ten Animal and Veld Management Projects will be supported across the province. About 250 households will be supported with water harvesting tanks in Hekpoort and Kwa-Sokhulumi, while 200 households will have access to sanitation (VIP toilets) in Kwa- Sokhulumi. Furthermore, the department will integrate its services with others towards the construction of public amenities such as a recreational facility in Hekpoort, eight classrooms at Die Poort Primary School in Hekpoort, and sports facilities in Devon and Kwa-Sokhulumi.
Apart of the facilitation and coordination work in rural development, GDARD support many agricultural projects and cooperatives across the province. Some of the projects supported are the NAPWA project which was assisted with hydroponic tunnels in Kwa-Sokhulumi.
The department will continue to facilitate the implementation of the Gauteng Rural Social Compact Plan with stakeholders such as Women in Agriculture and Rural Development (WARD), Youth in Agriculture and Rural Development (YARD), Food and Allied Workers Union, Agri Gauteng and National African Farmers Union (NAFU). It will also train the Council of Stakeholders from all the rural nodes on leadership skills in order to empower rural communities to take charge of their own development.
As part of transformation of the agricultural sector in the province, GDARD will continue to facilitate Farm Worker Equity Schemes that allows for ownership of agricultural assets by black people. Tropical Mushrooms (Pty) Ltd that was assisted in partnership with the Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries is now expanding and continues to employ about 130 people with the majority of them having an ownership stake in the company.
Madame Speaker,
The allocation of R161.8 million supports the Gauteng provincial government’s vision for Environmental Management which is to protect and enhance environmental assets and natural resources.
The breakdown of Outcome 5b on Environmental Affairs indicates that the budget will be disbursed as follows:
a) Environmental Policy, Planning and Coordination received R15.8 million
b) Environmental Quality Management received R36.4 million
c) Compliance and Enforcement received R35 million
d) Biodiversity Management received R74 million.
In order to inform land-use management, the development of Bioregional Plan (Ekurhuleni) is also our priority moving forward. In the short term, the department will focus on the following:
- Development of four (4) wetland management plans in (Tshwane, Johannesburg, Sedibeng and West Rand in order to protect sensitive inland ecosystems
- Finalising Gauteng Biodiversity Offset Policy
- Finalising Gauteng Protected Expansion Strategy in order to increase land under protection in the province.
The department will identify, map and develop management plans for wetlands under threat of ecological degradation. The biggest threats to wetlands are mining activities especially around the Klipspruit and the Blesbokspruit areas. We will intensify our campaign on illegal environmental activities in the Province. We are rolling out Environmental Management Inspectorate (Green Scorpions) to all municipalities.
We will be decisive with persons/companies commencing with activities requiring environmental authorisation without obtaining it. We will not hesitate to motivate to courts for the maximum fine of R5 million or imprisonment for a period not exceeding five years in case of first offenders and R10 million or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding 10 years in case of repeat offenders for those convicted by courts.
In pursuance of our effort to implement initiatives of our Provincial Growth and Development Strategy (GDS), GDARD shall continue investing in Biotechnology as one of the GDS key priorities. This investment in biotechnology is the basis for building a knowledge-based economy and its was undertaken with the purpose of expanding local and export supply of biosciences products and services for economic growth and job creation and to strengthen Gauteng as an anchor for the biosciences cluster in South Africa amongst other objectives.
In this term of 2014 -2019, we shall continue implementing the Gauteng Biotechnology Strategy with special emphasis on agriculture and environment.
The focus areas of our Biotechnology strategy remain the following:
- Building capacity and enhancing availability of resources for agriculture and environmental biotechnology
- Increasing Public Understanding and awareness of Biotechnology
- Expanding Research and Development
- Increasing commercialization of Biotechnology and meeting industry requirements
- Ensuring effective biotechnology regulations and
- Developing partnerships and maintaining local and international linkages.
We shall launch in the 3rd quarter the Gauteng Biotechnology Science Park (Biopark) at the The Innovation Hub in collaboration with the Department of Economic Development. GDARD championed the concept from feasibility study, development of the business plan and funding the architectural drawings.
The Biopark will stimulate entrepreneurship and commercialisation of biotech products. It will furthermore provide linkage between Biosciences and agro-processing where by new food products may be tested and further developed for the benefit of our farming community. On climate change, the department will embark on developing effective climate change mitigation and adaptation response through:
- Finalisation of Phase 2 of the Greenhouse gas inventory for the industrial and waste sector in order to monitor, verify and report on these sectors GHG emissions.
- Ensuring implementation of bio-climatic layer in the land-use management decision making system
- Initiating the development of a provincial Emission Calculator in order to implement the polluter pay principle on high emitters through emission offsetting programme
- Ensuring the functionality of all provincial air quality monitoring stations.
In terms of an environmentally sustainable, low-carbon economy, plans are in place to:
- Support 3 buy-back centres with waste management equipment in order to promote resource efficiency
- Launch the Basa-nje Ngomagogo Campaign which is a campaign on hazards of indoor pollution, especially on low-income dense and informal settlements in the province.
We will continue to work with the Department of Water Affairs to seek sustainable solutions to Acid Mine Drianage challenges facing our province. Our Department is working hard to ensure the efficiencies in our Environmental Impact Assessment.
With regard to Sustainable Human Communities we will continue with the implementation of municipal greening initiative (Bontle ke Botho programme). Through this programme, municipalities, schools, clinics and NGO projects on cleaning, recycling, water conservation and energy efficiency are entered into a competition, evaluated and monetary awards. “Our motto is cleanliness is next to godliness”
Speaker,
As I conclude may I categorically state that feeding our citizens remains the primary motivator and instigator of all agricultural activities espoused by the budget of our department and beyond. I therefore appreciate and embrace the political will of the African National Congress and its agenda of pursuing equality, justice and freedom as glue that holds us together in moving our country forward.
As we engage the 2014/15 budget of GDARD, may we never be tempted to undermine the cooperation of all stakeholders especially our farmers in ensuring that our minimal land and its fragile environment is a valuable resource that demands nurturing and protection at all cost.
Finally Madame Speaker, may I express gratitude to Honourable Premier David Makhura, the Speaker, MECs, the ANC Caucus led by the Chief Whip, Honourable Members of Portfolio and Standing Committee on Finance, SCOPA, MMC, all role player and stakeholders for their leadership and guidance.
May I also appreciate the contribution of former MEC Nandi Mayathula- Khoza, the leadership provided by HOD Thandeka Mbassa together with a team of capable and dedicated men and women that ensured that food is available on the table of every resident in Gauteng.
I believe ours is a responsibility that knows that “an empty stomach” be that of man or animal, knows no race, colour, creed or religion, but it is a misfortune that devastates potential for growth and development.
Thanks to the residents of Gauteng for embracing a collective responsibility that ensures that our country and its neighbours in continental and Sub-Saharan Africa thrive on a Gauteng-engineered economy that rings stability, development and progress!
Finally, thanks to a family that understands and supports my obligation to the ANC, its responsibility to its people and the citizens of Gauteng and South Africa! Our road is way too long ahead!
Ngiyabonga!
