Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the North West Provincial Legislature,
Honourable Premier of the North West Provincial Government, mme Thandi Modise,
My respected colleagues in the Executive Council,
Distinct members of the Provincial Legislature,
Leaders of Political Parties present in the Province, and in particular, leaders of the African
National Congress,
Executive Mayors, Mayors, Speakers and Councilors present here today,
Maloko a ntlo ya bogosi ka fa tlase ga boetapele ba ga Kgosi Mabe
Representatives of all structures of Agricultural Organisations
Government officials
Comrades and Friends,
Ladies and Gentlemen
Honourable Speaker,
The North West Provincial Government under the leadership of Premier Thandi Modise, has bestowed upon the department of Agriculture and Rural Development the responsibility to accelerate agricultural activities, and to serve as an engine that should ensure rural development, food security and vibrant economic growth across the province.
This is a responsibility that we have over the years carried with keenness and endurance, because we understand that the lives of the people residing in this province are dependent on how well we perform as a department, on matters relating to the needs of the masses.
I am therefore truly humbled Honourable Speaker, to be standing before this august house today, to present to Honourable members and the North West province’s farming community, a report on our performance for the 2011/12 financial year, and our plans for 2012/2013.
Honourable Speaker, in the midst of a growing global financial and food crisis, government must be able to reposition the agricultural sector to ensure national food security, job creation and economic development.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) released by Statistics South Africa indicates that food and non-alcoholic beverages inflation increased by 10,3% from January 2011 to January 2012; and this was down from 11,1% in December 2011. The CPI excluding food and non alcoholic beverages, petrol and energy increased by 4,3% year on year.
While consumers in rural areas continued to pay higher prices for food, those in urban areas paid lesser. In January 2012, consumers in rural areas paid R2, 37cents more for the same food basket, than consumers in urban areas. Stats SA indicates that from January 2011 to January 2012, the cost of basic food increased with R54, 78 cents (or 14,3 %) in nominal terms.
This requires us to improve our systems, and ensure that all land that has been lying fallow is brought back into production. We need to work hard to ensure that food security is increased.
Equally, these challenges dictate that we need a coherent strategy, public-private and public partnerships, to guide and support the agricultural sector. There is widespread recognition of the need to position the agricultural sector in such a way that it will be capable of responding positively to the needs of the country and its people, as well as other emerging challenges.
Honourable Speaker, farming depends to a great extent on the quality of rain. Climate change is very likely to harm economies, the lives and health of millions of people, particularly in the poor regions, but no country will be spared. Increased droughts and temperatures will have a serious impact on agricultural production and food availability. It is therefore critical that every government and national society should assess the range of risks, and plan to reduce their scope of vulnerability.
Any long or short term changes thereof, are paramount to our ability to feed our nation with high quality affordable staple foods. Food security is important to the economy of our province, as it impacts heavily on our poverty alleviation and sustainable development plans. For this reason, we must align our programmes, in implementing the national agenda on “working together for food security”.
As we celebrate the 100 years of the African National Congressí existence, we remain resolute and focused in our revolutionary pursuit to liberate all previously disadvantaged groups from political, social and economic bondage. Our pursuit calls for nothing other than the uplifting of the quality of life of all South Africans, especially the poor.
Honourable Speaker, our reference point has always been the ruling party’s manifesto, and our over-arching responsibility is towards Outcome 7 of this government, which relates to the achievement of “vibrant, equitable and sustainable rural communities, with food security for all”.
In reaction to these measurable goals, we undertook as a department to embark on a number of activities during the previous financial year, with the primary objective of ensuring that the lives of the North West community and the general citizenry, are improved. 2011 was as declared by the State President, Mr Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma, the year of job creation. The New Growth Path introduced, identified agriculture and agro-processing as one of the economic sectors where jobs can be created. As a provincial department, the contribution we managed to make was the creation of 964 jobs; the number we recorded by implementing our projects.
Honourable Speaker, it is now common course that creation of decent work is a priority of this government. We will as a result of this understanding, continue to ensure that sustainable jobs are created in the agricultural sector. In line with the New Growth Path, a total of 112 projects have been planned for implementation this financial year, and it is estimated that 1500 job opportunities will be created.
Our department has a responsibility to ensure that the health and quality of our livestock is improved, and I am pleased to inform the house that we have during the past financial year, successfully launched the Primary Animal Health Care programme. We achieved this in working
together with our strategic partner, the Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP). Consignments of vaccines distributed throughout the province were used to vaccinate a total of 229 917 animals against diseases like anthrax, brucellosis, lumpy skin and blue tongue, which are common to livestock in the rural areas of our province, and some being communicable to humans.
Furthermore, we managed to make a contribution of animal vaccines worth R150 000 to Rethabile Youth Cooperative in Morokweng village, which is currently selling and dispensing livestock vaccines to farmers in the Kagisano-Molopo local municipality, in Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati district.
We have also embarked on a surveillance programme for early detection of Foot and Mouth disease, and the routine inspection will continue in the protected zones, especially in the Zeerust and Bray areas. This is done to regain our exports of animals and animal products.
For this purpose Honourable Speaker, the department signed a memorandum of understanding with the Onderstepoort Biological Products to ensure the delivery of strategic vaccines and sustainability of the Primary Animal Health Care programme. Honourable Speaker, in response to our Premier’s vision for the establishment of a food security center for vulnerable groups, we have refurbished the Kgora Resource Centre infrastructure, in order to commence with vegetable production.
Motlotlegi Mmusa-Kgotla, re na le tumelo ya gore porojeke eno e tla atlega thata, ka ntlha ya fa didiriswa tsotlhe le kitso ee tlhokegang ya jalo ya merogo, di le gona kwa setheong seno sa Kgora.
In our concerted effort to give substance to the New Growth Path and implementation of the Zero Hunger strategy, we will this financial year continue with the establishment of a fresh produce market in the Greater Taung local municipality.
The total budget set aside for the effective implementation of this project is R11 million. This amount will be used for the project infrastructure and machinery. Let me also take this opportunity to inform the house that the obligation for us to apply for re-accreditation of Potchefstroom College of Agriculture to specialise in mixed farming, and the new application for accreditation of Taung Agricultural College for specialisation in irrigation, is currently underway. We are awaiting the outcome of the assessment made by the Council for Higher Education.
Honourable Speaker, we welcome the declaration of 2012 as the year of infrastructure development by our President, and believe that this focus will assist in driving the improvement of infrastructure, to enable economic development and growth in so far as agricultural activities are concerned in the province.
To deepen our appreciation of this declaration, we will in partnership with the department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, distribute 72 agricultural mechanisation packages to identified developing farmers in the province, to increase production efficiency and ensure that vast land lying fallow is put under production. This distribution will be done before the end of this quarter.
We have developed a policy in this regard, and we are positive that it will assist us to manage this programme better. The 72 tractors are not sufficient, and we are hoping to expand the programme in future.
We will rehabilitate silos found in the areas of Springbokpan, Vryhof and Kraaipan which have a total storage capacity of 230 000 tons. Being the only ones in the country which are in the hands of government, these strategic infrastructure will be used in line with government's new approach of Zero Hunger, to revitalise the grain storage and marketing infrastructure initiatives. In rehabilitating them, we shall work closely with the department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the National Agricultural Marketing Council and Grain South Africa.
We shall recapitalise collapsed farms in partnership with the department of Rural Development and Land Reform and Grain South Africa. We are hoping to finalise the memorandum of understanding by end of this month. This will ensure that Grain SA establishes business plans on time in preparation for the summer crops.
This initiative will require us to enter into new arrangements with the farmers. We will equip Kgora Resource Centre to make it a more resourceful farmer training center. This will be done with other partners to ensure that we implement the “learning by doing” concept for farmers. Our relationship with Buhle Farmer Training centre in Gauteng and the Netherlands government, will be strengthened in establishing our farmer training center.
Additionally, we will as part of our already existing student exchange programme with the college of Agriculture in the Netherlands, send four students to the Netherlands where they will study various methods of farming. These students are selected annually based on their performance, and our two colleges of Agriculture will be represented.
Equally, we have since last year demonstrated our pursuit for improved agricultural infrastructure, particularly for women-managed projects, in that a total of more than R3 million was spent on infrastructure development for women who participated and got recognition in our annual Female Entrepreneur of the Year competition.
This initiative will be expanded to ensure that women activities do not only become events driven, but are sustained throughout the agricultural value chain.
Motlotlegi Mmusakgotla, go botlhokwa gore re tlhagise gore go le gantsi fa puso e fetsa go neelana ka ditirelo di tshwana le go tsenngwa ga terata kwa dikampong, baagi ba a e ntsha, mme ba e dirisetse mabaka a bona a selegae.
Dilwana dingwe di tshwana le di-engine tse di pompang metsi a diruiwa le ditshingwana tsa baagi di a utswiwa, mme seno se tlhola poelo morago ee seng kana ka sepe, gonne diruiwa di tswelela go bolawa ke lenyora, fa ditshingwana tsa merogo di phutlhama gonne go sena metsi a go nosetsa.
Re tlhoka go nna le maikarabelo jaaka baagi, mme re tlhokomele didiriswa tse puso e re di rebolelang. Mo mabakeng a mangwe, bangwe fa ba abetswe didiriswa tsa temo di tshwana le diterekere, ba a di rekisa, ke ka moo mo lenaneong la monongwaga re tlileng go nna le tumalano le balemi gore ba ba tlaabong ba sa tlhole ba batla go lema, ba re neele gape didirisiwa tseo. Sengwe gape se se re tshwenyang ke gore go na le balemi ba le bangwe fela ba ba ungwelwang go tswa mo mananeong a lefapha. Mme seno se tlile go fetoga gonne go simolola gompieno, re tlile go lebelela ba ba iseng ba bone thuso epe go tswa mo lefapheng. Maikaelelo a seno ke gore re aname, re thuse bontsi jwa balemi ba mo profenseng.
Honourable Speaker,
We have decided to manage the Taung Irrigation Scheme as a special project, independent from the District Services. We have acted swiftly to this resolve by engaging the Northern Cape department of Agriculture, and teams from the two provinces have started to develop an Integrated Business Plan. We want to put proper management systems in place in that scheme, and we will henceforth develop service level agreement with farmers.
All affected stakeholders will be engaged on the implementation of projects at the Taung Irrigation Scheme. Dipuisano tsa rona le South African Breweries di tsweletse, gonne maikaelelo ke gore re thuse balemi ba kwa Taung gore e nne balemi ba tota, ba ba ikemetseng. Kgang ya gore lefapha le tswelele go baakanya mafaratlhatlha a go nosetsa le didirisiwa tse dingwe kwa Taung, mme morago balemi ba bo ba hirisa masimo le didiriswa tseo, e tshwanetse go fela. Re tlile go buisana le balemi, mmasepala le bogosi ba kwa Taung, gore re tsweletse temo kwa kgaolong eo ka tsela ee ka ba tswelang mosola.
Maikaelelo a rona gape ke go gokaganya Kholeje-katiso ee kwa Taung le tsamaiso ya temo
kwa kgaolong eo. Mo ngwageng ono ga re kitla re lebelela Taung Irrigation Scheme fela. Re tlile go tla ka mananeo aa tla re thusang gore mo dingwageng tse di latelang, re kgone go thusa le dikema tse di jaaka Tsholofelo Irrigation le Disaneng Irrigation, tse di ka nnang le seabe mo go tlholeng ditiro.
We will also through Ilima/Letsema programme, engage in a massive Dryland and Irrigated Cropping programme, irrigation infrastructure and vegetable production. The programme intends to cover the area of production totalling 7 972 hectares, with a budget of R42 million. It is our intention to gradually bring back farms into production, particularly those in the high potential cropping areas.
Motlotlegi Mmusa-kgotla, ano ke maitlamo a re ikaelelang go a tsweletsa le mo dingwageng tse dintsi tse di tlang. Working together to make a difference
Honourable Speaker,
We need to draw on our common strengths and our commitment as a sector, to mobilise our resources and change for the better. We need to realise that our people are affected by the health of the agricultural sector and that sustainable solutions will require collaboration between government, industry, producers and the scientific and conservation community. We also need to strengthen our relations with the commercial sector.
One of our key responsibilities as a department is to ensure that the quality and standard of the extension services is enhanced. This Honourable Speaker, must not only focus on Extension officers, but must also focus on all field officers. Our officials need to render good services to the public.
In order as to ensure accountability, we will this financial year embark on a Farmers’ Green Book assessment programme, during which the effectiveness of this book will be reviewed. Accordingly, we plead with farmers to be part of this programme to help us get the valuable results.
Bagaetsho, seno se kaya gore molemirui mongwe le mongwe o tshwanetse go nna le Green Book, go dira gore re kgone go ka bona gore tirelo e re neelanang ka yona ke ee kana kang.
Honourable Speaker, the consequences of climate change as predicted and issued by the South African Weather Service are that rainfall will at some point be more infrequent but more intense.
It was said that this will to some extent shrink the country’s arable land and increase agricultural unpredictability, making it increasingly difficult for farmers to increase productivity. This unfavourable predicted condition Honourable Speaker, calls for intensified training of farmers on issues of climate change and better production practices. We will in this regard strengthen our early warning systems and promote sustainability of farming methods, land productivity, sound cropping and profitable yields in the province.
The long-term sustainability of food supply will depend on the interrelationship of the natural resource base (affected by climate change), energy supply, international food production and competitive trends, demographic trends, level of technology, level of fixed investment and the research capability of our province. We will put funds aside to encourage development of technologies which promote the breeding of new varieties (cultivars), the control of pests and diseases, and water conservation technologies, amongst others.
We will also this year intensify the implementation of projects in line with the Zero Hunger plan. The types of projects will include beef, grain, agro-processing, information and knowledge management, marketing and business development, farmer training and capacity building and others. For us to beneficially achieve this mandate, a total amount of R155 million has been allocated.
We will closely monitor service providers, to ensure that they deliver quality services. In our quest for the establishment of strategic and sustainable collaborations, we will this financial year pursue partnerships which include: Partnership with the North West University, Mafikeng Local Municipality, Agricultural structures and other provincial departments, in establishing a small-holder farmers’ market for previously disadvantaged communities. The farmers market initiative will be launched this weekend, here in Mahikeng.
- This approach is in line with the Polokwane resolution that says “government should support the growth of rural market institutions including through the provision of infrastructure, and by helping rural communities and small farmers to build organisations which help them to access markets.”
- Partnership with Rhodes University and the department of Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism to promote aquaculture, inland fisheries and recreational fisheries in identified dams of the province. This will contribute towards food security and creation of jobs for local communities.
- Partnership with the department of Social Development, Women, Children and People with disabilities to ensure that comprehensive rural development projects and initiatives on War on Poverty yield sustainable projects.
- Partnership with private sectors and Universities to strengthen the agro-processing and agri-business sectors.
- Collaboration with international partners to set up agro-processing and manufacturing plant for agricultural products and inputs. In this regard, our work with Serbiaís cluster of agricultural business will be strengthened.
- And partnership with farmers’ organisations to implement the resolution of the farmworkers summit.
Capacitating farmers for efficient production
Honourable Speaker, it is common knowledge that a large number of the province’s cattle population is concentrated in the western region of our province, the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati district.
We have as a result of this undisputable fact, decided in consultation with relevant stakeholders, to transform the Western Frontier Beef Beneficiation Programme into a proper livestock development programme, which will focus on improving the livestock quality in the province, with special focus in Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati district.
Thereafter we will embark on the same approach in other districts of the province. We shall work with the National Agricultural Marketing Council, the National Emerging Red Meat Producers Organisation, and the Agricultural Research Council.
Honourable Speaker, one journalist who is working for the prominent Farmers Weekly magazine, recently expressed his opinion about the Nguni Cattle Development project that we introduced in the province five years ago, and his argument was that if the project is this successful in the North West province, why not introduce it countrywide. In measuring the success of this project, the journalist visited a number of farmers participating in this project in our province, and reported about their massive success.
To signify the success of this project, his story headline was and I quote “From no cattle to 100 in five years ñ that opens a lot of doors for a farmer”. Honourable Speaker, it therefore gives me great pleasure to inform this esteemed house that we have in partnership with the Industrial Development Corporation and the North West University tried and tested the project, and thus far, it has yielded positive results.
We have in a period of five years created semi-commercial farmers, and we are convinced that more are still to be produced. I am also pleased to confirm that farmers who became the first recipients of these cattle in 2007, have recently returned back to the project, the number of cows they were expected to return after five years.
The returned cattle will this Friday, be re-distributed to other new beneficiaries, for them to also taste and bear witness to the weight that this project carries. Having said that Honourable Speaker, we also acknowledge the fact that the project has challenges that relate to lack of recognition by the Nguni breeders association, access to markets and prices of animals at auctions. We will this year concentrate on assisting Nguni farmers on these three aspects.
Ke rata go akgola baruakgomo ba ba kgonneng go busa dikgomo di le some-pedi mongwe le mongwe, mme ka re tiro e ba e dirileng ke ee manontlhotlho. Re na le tumelo ya gore le ba ba abetsweng dikgomo tseno morago ga bona, ba tla tsweletsa tiro e ntle ya go atisa mofuta ono wa dikgomo.
Allow me Honourable Speaker to also pay homage to one of the project beneficiaries, Mr Clifford Nkokou from Ganyesa in the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati district, who has won the coveted ABSA-ARC Best National Emerging Beef Farmer of the Year 2011 award.
Young as he is, Mr Nkokou’s contribution towards best livestock management practices was recognised by the Agricultural Research Council, hardly two years of his participation in this Nguni cattle project.
Part of his reward for winning this first position in the country, was an overseas trip to the United States of America where he learned more about livestock management and general best farming methods. He arrived just before the Easter Holidays from the USA, and we hope that he had an informative trip and that he will share his experiences with developing farmers, especially the youth, for them to also adapt the best cattle management practices, thereby bolstering the province’s livestock production value.
Ra re go ena, “Nko ya kgomo mogala tshwara ka thata, e sere go utlwa sebodu wa kgaoga”. In dealing with livestock development in communal areas, we are hoping to improve the quality of livestock in the communal areas by improving their nutrition, introducing good quality bulls and improving their health.
We will also ensure that systems are put in place to curb stock theft. Accordingly, our work with the police forum will be intensified. Thulaganyo ya go agelela dikampa tsa phulo e tla tswelela, mme re tla dira seno ka tshwaragano le magosi le bo mmasepala ba rona. Se re se kopang fela ke tlhokomelo ya didirisiwa tseno. Re tlile go netefatsa gore badiredi-puso ga ba dire sepe ba sa ikgolaganya le maphata otlhe aa maleba.
Honourable Speaker, for us to know where we are and what needs to be done particularly with regard to our agricultural projects, we need to ensure that monitoring and evaluation is not overlooked. We will therefore strengthen our partnership with the department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, by consistently evaluating projects implemented and funded by the department.
We need to emphasise that our main focus will also be on the planning, monitoring and evaluation of the Zero Hunger projects. We will work with the North West University School of Engineering to monitor implemented projects, because we have a big challenge with regard to ensuring that there is quality assurance in all our infrastructure projects.
Let me also make use of this platform to inform the house that our province will during the month of October, be host to more than 600 delegates from all over the country and other African countries, who will be attending the National LandCare Conference here in Mahikeng.
We urge the provincial government to be supportive of this conference, which is expected to deal with amongst others, topics related to the climate change. Determined to ensure comprehensive rural development Honourable Speaker, our ideal of comprehensive rural development linked to agrarian reform and food security gained momentum last year, as we also concentrated on the five additional sites as approved by the provincial Executive Council. We will this year intensify intervention measures, and prioritise identified municipalities. These interventions will be implemented in line with the experience gained at the Mokgalwaneng pilot site.
For this programme to take shape Honourable Speaker, we will play our role to transform the rural areas in partnership with all the government departments, traditional leadership, local municipalities, private sectors, communities and all other relevant stakeholders.
In collaboration with the department of Rural Development and Land Reform, we will resuscitate three towns, namely Groot Marico, Mahikeng and Taung. The initiative in Taung will be linked with Honourable Premier’s concept on the stimulation of economic activities along the Taung Skull Heritage site. In Groot Marico, we shall work with the departments of Human Settlement and Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism, to ensure mitigation against climate change.
Good governance - top in our corporate agenda Honourable Speaker, we must ensure that we have efficient, effective and development oriented public service, and improved, fair and inclusive citizenship. This Honourable Speaker means, we must ensure that we have a professional cadre of public servants, in order for us to achieve the goals of the developmental state.
The recruitment and retention of employees in occupations critical to service delivery will be intensified. These critical occupations are State Veterinarians, Engineering Technicians, Agricultural Scientists and Agricultural Economists.
We will also prioritise the recruitment of women and people with disabilities. Our approach must however not be misinterpreted Honourable Speaker, as we will not recruit for the purpose of recruiting and meeting the employment equity numbers; but we will recruit according to merits.
Honourable Speaker, the Auditor General has advised us about the need to pay more attention to the repeated findings on irregular expenditure, unauthorised expenditure, lack of internal control systems and lack of compliance to statutory requirements.
We have nonetheless, obtained three consecutive unqualified audit opinions, and this calls for intensive compliance as we are very close to obtaining a clean audit. We will also put systems in place, to deal with all concerns raised by the Auditor General.
Mr Pravin Gordhan, our Finance Minister, has expressed his concerns about the number of government tenders that had become tainted by corruption; we therefore need to commit ourselves as a collective, to combat fraud and corruption, and improve accountability. We are calling upon members of the communities to also report to us all alleged corruption cases.
Honourable Speaker, I am pleased to report today that strides have been made to re-shape our Supply Chain Management directorate, and this unit will be given the most attention this year.
Conclusion
Honourable Speaker, Robert Reich once said, “Your most precious possession is not your financial assets. Your most precious possession is the people you are working with, what they carry around in their heads and their ability to work together”.
Encouraged by the wisdom of these lines, I wish to thank the Premier and my colleagues in the Executive Council for their unflinching support; the Portfolio Committee for their invaluable advice and colleagues in the provincial legislature for their watchful oversight on the work of this department.
I pay special tribute to the previous MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development are Boitumelo Tshwene, for steering this ship with diligence and dynamism. I tread in his footsteps as he has made it possible for me to hit the ground running.
My appreciation also Honourable Speaker, goes to the Head of Department Dr Mmamakgaba Mogajane, Senior Management, the entire departmental staff, and all our agricultural stakeholders and unions, for ensuring that the department’s vision is put into practice.
I want to also thank my political home the African National Congress, for bestowing their trust on me, to continue to provide services to our people.
Finally, I would like to thank my husband Cde Pat for the support he has given me, and my children Kitso, Koketso, Tshepiso, Motlalepule, Munaka and my little Princess, for allowing me to serve the nation. Your support to me is much appreciated.
Honourable Speaker, Jack Welch, the CEO of General Electric said, “Be optimistic. There are plenty of dire predictions. There is no example of an organisation ever succeeding in the future when led by people who are pessimistic about their potential”.
I am positive and relentlessly optimistic. I see potential for growth and innovation in service delivery and efficiency everywhere in the department.
I believe that it is our character that will continue to get us out of our beds every morning, our commitment that will move us in to action, and our discipline that will continue to enable us to follow through. Honourable Speaker, it is from this spirit of optimism that I have the pleasure to table vote 13 for the 2012/13 financial year, for endorsement by the house:
Programme 1: Administration
Allocated Budget R173, 642 million
Programme 2: Agricultural Support Services
Allocated Budget = R145, 237 million
Programme 3: Agricultural District Services
Allocated Budget = R395, 147 million
Programme 4: Rural Development
Allocated Budget R136, 967 million
Total Budget = R850, 993 million
As a responsive and responsible government, we commit ourselves to ensuring that the allocated financial resources are utilised effectively, efficiently and economically to achieve our strategic objectives. We will work together with our clients and stakeholders, and we will achieve our goals together.
Kana Motswana o rile “Tau di senang seboka, di siiwa ke none e tlhotsa”.
Ke a leboga!
