Programme Facilitator, Prof Sheryl Hendricks
The Chairperson of the Provincial Portfolio Committee on Agriculture and
Rural Development Hon. Dodo Baloyi
My colleagues in the Provincial Executive Council present here today
Executive Mayor for Mafikeng Local Municipality, Cllr Lenah Miga
Head of Dept. of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Kgabi Mogajane
Our respected stakeholders in the agricultural sector
Representatives from the department of Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries
Management and officials of the provincial department of Agriculture and
Rural Development
Members of the media present here today,
Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen
Good morning to all of you.
Programme Facilitator, it gives me great pleasure to have been afforded an opportunity to come and address this strategic audience, on a subject that matters most not only to them, but to the world at large. Important about this occasion is not only because of its intended goals, but because it is taking place during the month that our country has put aside to pay tribute to the heroism of the 1956 generation, during which our mothers and sisters took to the streets, in anticipation of the liberation of women of this country.
It is now exactly fifty six years since that bravery was displayed. Therefore, what we need to appreciate as stakeholders in the agricultural sector, is the position that our government has taken in appreciation of the contribution women are continuing to make in this sector, in that this year’s theme for women’s month is “Achieving food security, fighting hunger and poverty”.
This theme authenticates the notion that suggests that women can never be detached from agriculture. Food production is also a woman’s responsibility, and besides, the objectives for which we are here today, as well as the timing of this gathering, serve as confirmation of that fact.
I therefore in my capacity as the Member of Executive Council responsible for Agriculture and Rural Development wish to highlight that the distinct contribution that women are continuing to make in the agricultural sector, must be embraced and taken to higher levels. Be that as it may Programme facilitator, agriculture in Africa is in crisis and the situation demands a crisis response. This sector is still providing livelihoods for about 60% of the continent's active labour force, contributes 17% of Africa's total gross domestic product, and accounts for 40% of its foreign currency earnings.
Yet farmers' yields have essentially stagnated for decades. Although total output has been rising steadily often by simply extending the land area under cultivation this growth has barely kept pace with Africa's increasing population. Food production in particular has lagged, so much that the number of persistently undernourished people increased from 173 million in 1990-92 to 200 million in 1997-99, the latest years for which accurate figures are available. Of that total, 194 million were in sub-Saharan Africa.
Investment in African Agriculture has been in the decline in the past two decades, despite increase in world population. Many African governments devote less than 1 percent of their budgets to agriculture. Not only have overall donor aid levels declined, but donor priorities have simultaneously shifted away from agriculture toward other sectors.
Although available financial resources should be managed better, there is an acknowledgement that, overall investments in agriculture need to be drastically increased, if Africa is to pull out of its agricultural crisis. After decades of economic stagnation and with the number of chronically malnourished people now reaching 200 million, Africa's leaders are intensifying efforts to find sustainable solutions to hunger and poverty.
To give greater substance to that goal, New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD's) promoters held a series of consultations with African agriculture ministers and the heads of African regional economic groups, the African Development Bank and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, as well as experts from the World Bank and especially the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Together, they developed the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), which was adopted by African Head of State and Governments in 2003, in Maputo.
The programme states that the high economic growth rates envisaged by the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) cannot be realised unless farm production is significantly increased. Higher output will directly reduce hunger and the cost of food imports. It will also have wider economic benefits, from stimulating rural incomes to providing raw materials for African industry. “Investing in the reduction of hunger is a moral imperative,” says the CAADP, “but it also makes economic sense.”
Since the hindrances facing African farmers are numerous, the solutions must be comprehensive, requiring sustained action across many different fronts. Above all, says the plan, African governments and their external partners must support the labours of Africa's millions of poor, smallholder farmers. Following several consultations between the Government of South Africa through the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) and the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NPCA), it was agreed that the NPCA will support South Africa to mainstream CAADP in the implementation of the agriculture development programmes.
In this context, NPCA will support South Africa’s efforts to deepen the consultation with the agricultural stakeholders on practical policies and programmes for agriculture-led socio-economic growth especially among smallholder farming communities.
It must be clearly noted ladies and gentlemen that, CAADP was developed as a response to the crisis facing African agriculture, whereby large numbers of people face periodic food shortages, frequent natural disasters requiring emergency food and agricultural interventions. In view of this situation the CAADP focuses on investment in four pillars that can make the earliest difference to Africa’s agricultural crisis.
It is for this purpose that this two day workshop is being conducted with all the stakeholders having a role to play in agriculture, for them to contribute towards a plan for agricultural development in the North West Province in particular. The main outcome of the workshop will be a clear and tenable set of actions to bring the CAADP value addition in accelerating the North West’s agriculture development, especially alongside the country’s food security and poverty alleviation objectives and strategies.
The workshop outcomes will also help define next steps on advancing the adoption of the CAADP framework into South Africa’s agriculture development agenda, including signing of the national CAADP agreement. The high level of poverty in the North West province impacts on a wide range of interrelated issues, including the level of education, the level of employment, household income, disparities between urban and rural residents, population density, health concerns, and access to basic services.
Moreover, poverty levels relate directly to the institutional framework present in the province. Thus, alleviating poverty has the potential to address a wide range of other social disparities within the province. This could be achieved through an improved institutional environment, which is a key outcome of this workshop. Furthermore ladies and gentlemen, agricultural development, against the backdrop of the rural nature of the province and its diverse natural resource base, makes it the ideal vehicle through which poverty alleviation initiatives can be instituted.
However, the current environment of economic pressure, deprived infrastructure, time-consuming and unsuccessful land reform and redistribution programmes within the agricultural sector, needs to be improved. Such improvement could be brought about by an improved institutional environment which will form the basis of the successful alleviation of poverty through agricultural development.
The economically active population, coupled with the province’s physical resources and infrastructure, is an important basic source for any economy to grow. On the supply side, the population has the potential to contribute to economic growth through involvement in labour market activities and entrepreneurship.
In the context of the provincial economy, the rail and road infrastructure is the main connection for producers, manufactures and the mining industry to access local markets and input suppliers, that is, physical inputs and/or human resources. In conclusion ladies and gentlemen, allow me to steal the ideology of the country’s icon, our own Tata Mandela, who once said and I quote “We must use time wisely and forever realise that the time is always ripe to do right” close quote.
With this noble advice, allow me Programme Facilitator to pronounce on the official opening of this consultative workshop, and I wish you a fruitful and goal oriented session. Share experiences and best practices towards finding solutions to our agricultural challenges, with the understanding that working together, we can do more. I am eagerly awaiting the outcomes of this session.
I thank you!
