Ladies and gentlemen.
Let me first, on behalf of the South African Government, extend a warm word of welcome to each and every one of you participating in the implementation of the strategy of extending the presence of Grain SA in the grain producing rural areas of our country. This, in my view, fits in nicely with government’s policy of bringing services closer to the people.
The three main focus areas in the Agricultural Sector today are:
- food security;
- job creation; and
- economic growth
The successful combination of resolving these issues is to address poverty, unemployment and inequality in South Africa.
What impresses me most is the seriousness of the actions and responsibility of our partners like Grain SA to plan for long term food security in this country. We have seen the negative impact of the expansion of the mining sector on grain production areas of Mpumalanga and I want to acknowledge the vision of Grain SA to ‘migrate’ the production that will be lost there to the Eastern Cape. The mere fact that you are opening a third office in this part of our country is applaudable. We need to get the Eastern Cape into production if we want to be food secure in the next five to 10 years.
As government, we will have to prioritize this area in the Strategic Integrated Projects (SIP11), especially with regards to storage and transportation networks for this region.
The National Development Plan (NDP) is clear about the fact that agriculture needs to play the dual role of providing food and jobs. The Eastern Cape is the area in our country where food production, especially maize, soy beans and sorghum production can be expanded.
It fills me with a great sense of exhilaration to hear of and see black farmers who are producing yields that are commercially competitive and who can stand up to any of their white commercial neighbours. Grain SA, you are doing something right here!
The investment in the farmer development program that the Maize Trust and Grain SA has made here since 2004, are now starting to yield the required results. I have also heard about the good work that the Grain Farmer Development Association (GFADA) is doing. This kind of partnership in the Private Sector together with Government is what a successful South Africa is about. Working together we can achieve a great deal and move this great country of ours forward.
Since I became the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, I have also been informed about the exciting developments regarding biofuels in South Africa. This region is also earmarked to benefit from the government policies in this regard. The biofuel plant that is to be erected at Cradock will be running on grain sorghum that will most likely be produced by these very farmers that will be serviced from this office. The development of a Biofuel Industry is not just for the sake of a greener economy and less dependency on fossil fuel, but is part of the strategy to create jobs in South Africa.
We are aware of the infrastructure needs for agriculture in this province and the investments we are planning will also contribute towards creating jobs in this part of the country. I am also encouraged by the cooperation with the Department of Trade and Industry (dti) and the provincial government to develop the agro processing industry in line with the strategy of creating industry clusters or hubs to enhance efficiencies. “Together we can do more”, as our President always says.
This program of Grain SA and their partners shows us the way how to develop farmers that are sustainable and can ensure food security for our children. We need to speed it up and get other commodities on board at the same level.
I would like to thank you for inviting me to this occasion to witness for myself what is happening at grass roots level. We need to see more of these successful examples and get more partners (private and Government) involved to speed it up. I also noted that South Africa has moved up on the list of international grain exporters. We moved into the 6th place recently. However, we are still classified by the International Grains Council as an importing country. Maybe it is time to evaluate this. We are part of the solution to feed the world and to meet the growing demands.
To the Grain SA team, Vusi Ngesi, Lawrence Lutango and Ian Housham, who are managing the offices in the Eastern Cape: “Guys, keep up the good work. We are watching this space and depend on the outcome of your work to feed, not just our nation, but many other mouths that depend on us.”
I trust that your contribution, deliberations and debates will lead to greater food security, employment creation and higher growth in the economies of South Africa and the African continent.
I thank you.
Enquiries:
Palesa Mokomele
Spokesperson of the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Tel: 012 319 7876
Fax: 012 319 6681
Tel: 021 467 4502
Fax: 021 465 6550
Cell: 082 904 1908
E-mail: PalesaM@daff.gov.za
