Programme director
Director-General, Mr Zita
MEC for Agriculture, Free State province, Ms Mamiki Qabethe
NAFU leadership
Provincial representatives
Ladies and gentlemen
Programme director, may I take this opportunity to observe all protocols by acknowledging the presence of all the invited dignitaries, NAFU leadership and, last but not least, the champions of this convention, the members of NAFU.
When the National African Farmers Union (NAFU) was formed in 1991, the aim was to provide support for commercial black farmers who were largely marginalised at the time. NAFU was expected to support black farmers by providing political lobbying and also to facilitate economic activities for members for the purpose of integrating black farmers into the mainstream economy.
This process unfolded in an environment riddled with political violence orchestrated to undermine justice, freedom and equality. NAFU’s inception was likewise affected, and for a long time NAFU endured in an environment that tested the will and commitment of its members. Today, we convene to review the years that have gone past, to evaluate leadership and strategic direction and this time to leave politics to politicians and rather focus on the task at hand, the task of ensuring a significant contribution to food security and agrarian reform.
Programme director, it cannot be emphasised enough that the global population has exploded to over 6 billion. On the other hand, the world and its natural resources are gradually diminishing, and the climate is changing and posing a greater challenge for global food production.
Our government planned in this context and subsequently placed a high emphasis on agrarian reform and food security. Enabling policies, in support of this key objective, were put in place. Government encouraged organised, forward thinking and strategic sector stakeholders to forge strategic partnerships in the realisation of the national agenda of ensuring a better life for all.
The Vulnerable Workers Summit, where over 1 000 voices articulated sector aspirations, the workshop of the sector Integrated Growth and Development Strategy and the academic dialogue of the National Food Indaba clearly indicated that working together, we can do more to improve food security in our country.
There is an old African idiom that says, Motho ke motho ka batho! These wise words are as ancient as the people who lived on this continent and worked collectively to overcome difficulties. As a collective, your voice, your efforts and your impact will be much more prominent. We can learn a lesson from the predominantly white agricultural unions, who have successfully operated in this sector.
Programme director, at our MINMEC meeting during the month of November I issued marching orders to MECs and HODs. The key message is that the time for endless planning was last year. Today calls for vigorous implementation of the government programmes. The same message goes for the sector: the time for public spatting and arguing is last century and last millenium. This is the time for implementing production activities that will ensure food security for South Africans and for Africa and we even want to contribute towards global food security.
Programme director, in the Cape Times of 30 November 2010, the president and the general secretary of the Food and Allied Workers Union, Messrs Atwell Nazo and Katishi Masemola, wrote that the government’s Industrial Policy Action Plan 2 does prioritise on agro-processing as one of the sectors with potential to create more jobs and meet the basic needs of food security in South Africa.
I have no doubt that this august house embraces similar sentiments that attest to your burning desire to contribute positively toward job creation, food security and the responsible use of our natural resources.
The South African New Economics network stated that an estimated 43% of South Africans live on less than R14 a day with the country suffering a 25% unemployment rate. A wise question was posed: If you cannot find work, where will you find food?
Through Objective 7, government is committed to agrarian reform and food security, with the back-up of suitable policies and interventions to support subsistence, smallholder and commercial producers. Government has committed mechanisation and fencing support to enhance production.
Government has also committed R205 million in support of research and development. Last week, Cabinet approved approximately R232 million as part of the rescue package for distressed farmers who are unable to pay back the loans they obtained from the Land Bank. The intervention is linked to conditions of productivity and is yet another means by which government will encourage primary activities in the sector.
Programme director, food security is at the centre of this administration, and therefore this ministry has been involved in many outward missions seeking to open sector trade and opportunities in Africa, China, Russia, India and Brazil. These markets are interested in South African produce and will help to enhance the sector transformation through syndication and
B-BBEE partnerships facilitated especially by NAFU. Please allow me to dwell on the banality of the obvious by stressing the fact regarding leadership challenges facing NAFU. The founders of NAFU had the wonderful vision of mobilising historically disadvantaged farmers into a formidable union that would lobby fearlessly for political and economic benefits for its members.
Faced with a similar situation, the ancient Athenians asked the philosopher, Demosthenes, what they should do. He replied, “Do not do what you are doing now”. These words of wisdom are equally applicable to this Convention. I would therefore like to urge all delegates that as we will be deliberating on some of the burning issues that prevent us and this organisation from progressing, we should formulate resolutions that will enable NAFU to do things differently and, most importantly, better.
Programme director, the role of any agricultural union is two fold: firstly to provide political lobbying for its members and, secondly, to facilitate economic activities for members for the purpose of integrating those members into the mainstream agricultural economy. In the main, individual farmers hardly have all the productive resources that are necessary to carry on farming operations; a farmer union creates a joint force to do things better. I encourage you to learn a lesson from Agri SA and TAU SA.
Programme director, driven by the same philosophy that requires us to be pioneers, NAFU organised this Convention for the purpose of enabling historically disadvantaged individuals to take their rightful place in the mainstream economy, playing a meaningful role in job creation and food security and improving the livelihoods of our people.
Learning from experiences of the past, we should not dig the well only because we are thirsty – it would be too late! It is imperative to be forward and progressive thinkers. This means that we have to start “digging” the well right now so that can draw water when thirst comes.
Programme director, it is my fundamental belief that the timing of this convention is impeccable and that it will deliver another functional conduit through which government can support and service the farming, forestry and fishing communities.
Extension service support is one of the enablers for the sectors, and government is looking into ways of outsourcing this service by engaging the private and commercial sector. It would indeed be a real benefit to have historically disadvantaged commercial farmers participating in this programme, providing services for their fellow members in the sector and communicating in a language understood by all.
Programme director, the agricultural, forestry and fisheries sectors make up a relatively small share of the overall GDP, but this must change. These sectors are crucial sites for job creation, for food security, and for driving exports at a much higher level than we have been able to do in recent years. In many ways, the welfare of our country depends on having a thriving and well-functioning sector. Agriculture alone employs 650 000 workers directly, but millions of people in other industries rely on farmers and farm workers.
In 2009, the sector’s food exports amounted to R46 billion, nearly 10% of total exports. Also, about half of the unemployed live in rural areas, so agriculture will play a key role in solving our unemployment problem. We need to grow and expand our production of food and our agro-processing. One of the benefits of farmer organisations is that they provide people who share some common interest with significant economies-of-scale in accessing services and in taking collective action aimed at improving their socio-economic conditions. In rural areas, where producers are dispersed and scattered and communications are not optimal, the importance of these organisations is even greater.
Apart from benefiting producers in rural areas, who are dispersed and scattered, farmer organisations also provide an important forum where poor people can have an impact and become stronger in financial terms.
Programme director, I therefore declare this convention officially open and I would like to express my full support. Also, I would like to urge every delegate to “keep their eyes on the ball” so that we will not find ourselves discussing issues that do not move us towards our vision.
Remember, “the future belongs to those who are organised!”
Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you! Viva NAFU Viva!
