Program director
SAB CEO Dr Vincent Maphai
Farmers and farmer representatives
Mayors and municipal office bearers
Amakhosi
Members of the media
All protocol observed
It is indeed a great pleasure for us to convene here this morning to witness our dreams unfold before our very own eyes in as far as agribusiness is concerned. Today we have descended in the small town of Bergville, a gateway to the Northern Drakensburg Mountains to officially launch a new partnership with the South African Breweries (SAB) on Yellow Maize production. The launch of this partnership is a tangible outcome which will definitely change the lives of our farmers here for the better.
Although SAB is in the business of making and selling alcoholic beverages but some of their products heavily rely on agricultural crops like yellow maize. Now our farmers here will supply the much needed tons of yellow maize to the SAB processing plant in Johannesburg to make sure that production continues and that those who imbibe these beverages are never short of supply. I see this as a win-win situation for everybody, our farmers, SAB and product consumers.
The department has been consistently encouraging and supporting emerging farmers to advance their skills and to adopt an entrepreneurial mindset which is a prerequisite of the agribusiness sector. Therefore, South African Breweries approached us just at the right time and this is a milestone achievement for our emerging black farmers in the province. Most of KwaZulu-Natal is rural and agriculture is the cornerstone for rural development. It is therefore without doubt that opportunities for agricultural investments are unlimited. SAB is now exploiting these opportunities and this will transform our communities for the good?
The department has a strong mandate to ensure that agrarian reform happens in this province and that the state of food insecurity is addressed. Just as we just celebrated World Food Day last Saturday, 16October 2010, we learnt that the number of food insecure people in the world increased by 105 million in 2009 alone. Now the current number of people who are caught in the intricate web of poverty is 102 billion. We know that here in KwaZulu-Natal we accounted for more 3.5 million malnourished people last year. Although there are programmes in place to rectify the situation, these figures remain are worrisome and tormenting.
As a province we continue to encourage people to plant crops for household consumption and then sell excess for profit making. We also have a responsibility of supporting emerging farmers, ensure that they develop to their full potential and become fully fledged entrepreneurs. The issue of sourcing out markets once the food has been produced is a challenge we are now addressing. This is to ensure that our farmers are financially sustainable as they continue with production. The launch of this partnership with SAB on yellow maize is an opportune moment for us to realise our vision
The South African Breweries (SAB) has partnered with previously disadvantaged farmers in the Uthukela District for the supply of 180 000 tons of yellow maize free of genetically modified organisms (GMO free) to be delivered at their processing plant in Gauteng.SAB is prepared to buy 5 000 tons in the first year of the project and the quantity will gradually increase over time.
The Department of Agriculture, Environmental Affairs and Rural Development is assisting local farmers in the Okhahlamba, Ndaka, Mbabazane and uMtshezi municipalities through the Comprehensive Agriculture Support Programme (CASP) and mechanisation programme with seeds, mechanisation, and lime.
The department sees this yellow maize project as yet another launch of a public or private partnership which will assist our black emerging farmers become sustainable maize producers. Early this year we secured a sustainable market for seven cooperatives who are supplying 23 hospitals with fresh vegetables, three other cooperatives are earmarked for the Boxer Stores Market. Now it’s the yellow maize partnership with SAB and we are also looking at helping out livestock farmers soon. I am indeed satisfied that we’re making progress.
Ladies and gentlemen our presence here is twofold, it’s the launch the SAB yellow maize partnership and the district launch of our mechanisation programme here at Uthukela. The Mechanisation programme will give an immense support to vast agricultural activities in the district and to the yellow maize project. We have allocated 18 tractors with implements to provide a mechanisation service to this whole district. They will remain in the care of the department and render a service through a booking system. We therefore urge communities to work with us in pushing back the frontiers of poverty. Earlier on I spoke about the World Food Day Commemoration; the theme says “United against Hunger”. This calls on all of us to work in solidarity in dealing with issues of hunger and malnutrition.
In conclusion I welcome the timing of this partnership as we are already out there on the land as the rainy season has just started. Through these partnerships, KwaZulu-Natal seeks to make rural development a practical reality and bring about tangible outcomes, that will change the economic outlook of this province for the better.
I thank you.
