Premier of Gauteng Mme Nomvula Mokonyane,
Deputy Minister Dr Pieter Mulder,
Member of the Executive Council responsible for Agriculture in Gauteng,
Members of the Executive Councils responsible for agriculture from various provinces present,
The Chairperson of ASUF (Agriculture Sector Unity Forum) Mme Ntombi Msimang and ASUF members present,
Chairperson and/or Presidents of AgriSA, NAFU, AFASA and TAU and members present,
Representatives from the Agricultural Desks of various Banks: Standard Bank, Nedbank, First National Bank, ABSA,
Head of Agriculture at Santam Dr Tobias Doyer,
Our esteemed sponsor: Total SA,
Councillors present Directors-General present Heads of Departments,
Our 49 finalists (celebrities of the evening)
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen.
Programme Director, let me first remind everyone sitting here tonight that 2013 marks the 100th anniversary of the promulgation of the most infamous Native Land Act of 1913 which was used by the Apartheid Government to dispossess our people of their land.
I am reminding you because like with any social, economic and political plight facing our nation, women are always the hardest hit. The triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality that we are faced with as a country and as a sector have their origin in the promulgation of that act.
It is now 14 (fourteen) years Programme Director, since the inception and implementation of Female Entrepreneur Awards programme. The programme is one of the many noble initiatives Government has come up with to address some of the consequences of the Native Land Act.
It must be noted however that the South African women in agriculture remained steadfast producers despite the harsh consequences of the act and this is even long before the advent of democracy in this country.
As we celebrate August as a woman’s month, and as we recognize and award outstanding women entrepreneurs I further remind you that a new war to fight food insecurity in South Africa has started. Statistics reveal that a little over 12 million (22.7%) South Africans have insufficient access to food.
This reality contravenes the Bill of Rights in our constitution which states that “every citizen has a right to sufficient food and water” and that “the state must take reasonable legislative and other measures, within its available resource, to achieve the realization of this right”.
Today’s Female Entrepreneur Awards must therefore be used, among others, to sound an alarm, not only to these competition finalists but to every household in SA where hunger may hold a firm grip to heed the torrential message of “one household one food garden, one food garden one household”. Furthermore this year’s awards evening must be used as a reminder of the ruling party’s dedication of this year to “Unity in Action towards Socio-Economic Freedom”.
Government has already taken many steps ahead in the fight against hunger. In order to create a conducive environment, the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has development a Food Security and Nutrition Policy with the objective to ensure activity at all levels and segments of society towards food security and good nutrition.
The policy aims at reducing incidence of acute and chronic hunger to zero by 2030 and thereby contribute towards poverty eradication, increased human dignity and improved quality of life for all citizens.
The fight against food insecurity and malnutrition at a household level is a serious one. In 2012/13 the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries implemented its Integrated Food Security Production Intervention (IFSPI) to afford smallholder farmers, communities and households an ability to increase production of basic food and therefore increase access and availability of such to attain basic food security at household and local level.
The Integrated Food Security Production Intervention (IFSPI) focuses, especially during the first four years, on the stabilisation of production and productivity of maize and beans. This is attained through the provision of mechanization, production inputs and advisory services. In the 2012/13 season, over 40 000 (forty thousand) hectares of the underutilized agricultural land was put under production. Maize and beans were the main commodities produced.
This food security intervention initiative of the Department validated the identification of agriculture as a job multiplier by the National Development Plan and New Growth Path. Statistics SA, through its Labour Force Survey, has confirmed that the agricultural sector was the largest contributor to job creation over the period January to March 2013. This is so because of the Integrated Food Security and Nutrition Production Intervention.
As we move ahead facing the next planting seasons, preliminary work has already been completed to identify 1 000 000 (one million) hectares of under-utilized land for production. Commodities to be produced shall include maize, beans, sugar, sunflower and potatoes. Through the Comprehensive Agriculture Support Programme and Illima/Letsema out of the total budget R2 billion, 70% will be dedicated towards food production in the 2013/14 financial year.
Programme Director, on the basis that through Female Entrepreneur Awards we celebrate achievement in the sector, it is important that we use tonight’s platform to also inform everybody about related Government programmes achieved at creating a conducive environment for our producers out there. We know, for example, that one big production and processing impediments for most of our small holder farmers is poor infrastructure and logistics.
The Strategic Intervention Project (SIP) 11 is one of the 18 (eighteen) flagship infrastructure projects overseen by the Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Commission (PICC). In the 2013/14, DAFF anticipates to develop policies in a number of important areas, including SIP 11 to improve investment in infrastructure that supports the expansion of agricultural production and employment, small-scale farming and rural development. Infrastructure development for livestock, crop production and packaging facilities will receive the needed attention.
Through SIP 11 attention will further be given to the smallholder irrigation schemes which have the potential to have a significant impact on local socio-economic development and to advance improved food security, poverty eradication and increase employment. The Vaalharts/ Taung Irrigation Scheme is the largest irrigation scheme in South Africa extending to some 35 302 hectares with 31 732 hectares in the Northern Cape and 3 570 hectares in the North West Province.
The Makhathini Irrigation on the north eastern part of KwaZulu Natal is in the area with unique climatic and biophysical resources and holds immense potential for agricultural production. The Makhathini Irrigation Scheme covers a range of 4 572 hectares and has the potential of expansion to cover an area in excess of 15 000 (fifteen thousand) hectares.
Programme Director, it is only through “Unity in Action” that the ideal of food security in the country will be achieved. The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries will continue its campaign of recognizing and empowering women as contributors to food security and agricultural development.
It is for this reason that today I am sharing this important information on what Government is doing so that women as long time producers and agricultural entrepreneurs may position themselves accordingly. Information is power. I am calling upon all our finalists sitting here today and to the rest of women folks involved in agriculture to familiarize themselves with the priorities of Government for economic development.
The National Development Plan, the New Growth Path and Industrial Policy Action Plan 2 identify agriculture, forestry and fisheries as a sector with potential for growth and intensive job creation. The department’s Integrated Growth and Development Plan highlight areas in the sector where equitable growth and competitiveness may be realized and the types of interventions which may be undertaken. If one is an entrepreneur one needs to capitalize where it matters most.
At an international level we are proud of our successes in opening new markets to the sector. Firstly our membership of BRICS enabled our participation in the Minister of Agriculture and Agrarian Development Mechanism and where we immediately introduced trade as an area of cooperation among members. As a result the department has recently opened offices in India and Russia. In the current financial year a new office will be opened in Brazil.
Asia’s changing consumption patterns, population growth, structural reforms and improved markets access have contributed to an increase in imports from South Africa to the Asian Countries. China is one of the largest export destinations for South Africa’s agriculture, forestry and fisheries products, followed by Indonesia, Japan and India.
The department will continue to participate in the various trade negotiations and forums to enhance the interests of the South African agricultural sector. One of our strategic objectives is to increase Intra- African trade which is currently about 10% of trade. While increased trade in Africa is a challenging terrain, the growth of African markets for agricultural products will enable South Africa to increase diversification of its export market and reduce dependence upon our traditional export markets such as the European Union.
Programme Director, the focus of tonight is on our 49 (forty nine) female entrepreneur finalists. These finalists remind us that as active business women they are not reactive but rather proactive in their entrepreneurial dealings. They strive by all means to keep abreast of developments in the industry locally and internationally. They plan, execute and manage. I wish to congratulate them for having gone this far. As I always say, tonight’s winners are mere “first among equals”. Everyone sitting here is a winner.
At this time I wish to extend my sincere appreciation to all those who have partnered with the department in making this programme a reality. A special word of thanks goes to our most esteemed sponsor Total SA. Thank you Total SA for your benevolent support over the years. Your contribution remains foot prints on the sand of time for agricultural development in South Africa.
In conclusion, I would like to thank everyone who made tonight’s occasion a reality. I thank the staff in the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries who organized this event. To all of you please sit back, relax and enjoy the occasion.
Pula!
I thank you all!
