Firstly, I would like to congratulate the Minister on being appointed to this position. While agriculture has an important role to play in the economic and social development of South Africa, it has an especially important role to play with regard to the upliftment of emerging farmers and rural communities. I look forward to seeing you promoting emerging contractors and improving the plight of subsistence farming so as to ensure food security.
Farms that were purchased by government under its land reform programme were meant to improve the lives of those who were the beneficiaries of this land and to provide employment for those who were to work on the farms.
The reality, however, is that some of these farms are now unproductive and have been neglected. This not only has a negative effect on the lives of the beneficiaries and local communities, but also on food production and food security as these farms could have made a contribution in this regard.
One of the reasons for this sorry state is the lack of support, both technical and financial, for beneficiaries. Farming is an expensive exercise as you need equipment, fertilisers and chemicals, amongst other things. You also need to have the necessary skills to know, for example, how and when to plant your crops and how to plough and prepare your land. This support has not been forthcoming to emerging and small-scale farmers as well as to farmers who got farms from the land reform programmes, and this must be addressed as a matter of urgency.
The troubles with the Land Bank have been well documented. The efficient operation of this institution is very important to the success of the farming sector and the development of emerging and small-scale farmers. So, these troubles must be sorted out as soon as possible.
The relationship among farmers, the Land Claims Commission and this department is very important. This relationship must not be adversarial. There must be greater co-operation, and open and honest communication between the various role-players in the agricultural sector.
It is also important to realise that farmers have the skills needed to assist emerging farmers and beneficiaries of the land reform programme, so government and this department in particular must build a good working relationship and use the expertise of these farmers.
The development of rural agriculture is very important to the upliftment of our rural areas and we, in the IFP, believe that rural agriculture must be given greater attention. While I'm aware that rural agriculture is a line function for the provincial government, I would like also to ask the Minister if there'll be continual support in the form of conditional grants to provincial agricultural departments; and, if so, whether the monitoring and evaluation of the use of those funds is going to be given the highest priority.
The 2007-08 annual report of the Department of Agriculture, for example, shows that KwaZulu-Natal spent less than R3,5 million of the R68,3 million that it received as a conditional grant for the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme for the year ending 31 March 2008. This trend in underspending is not isolated as the annual report shows underspending of other grants by this province during the period under review. [Time expired.] Thank you, Chair. [Applause.]
Die ADJUNKMINISTER VAN LANDBOU, BOSBOU EN VISSERYE: Voorsitter, agb Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson, agb lede, ek wil begin deur hulde te bring aan mnr Tommie Marais, die hoof finansile beampte van die departement, wat onverwags gisteraand oorlede is en wat 'n groot rol in die departement gespeel het.
President Zuma se besluit om Grondsake en Landbou te skei het positiewe en negatiewe reaksie uitgelok. Net so het die President se aankondiging van sy Kabinet, en spesifiek die landbou-ministers, positiewe en negatiewe reaksie uitgelok. Die media se kommentaar daarop het gewissel van verbasing tot skok, maar ook lof. Kommentators was dit egter eens dat die President met die skeiding van die Departemente van Grondsake en Landbou, asook met sy keuses van ministers, 'n besliste boodskap aan die landbousektor, sowel as aan die hele Suid-Afrika, wou stuur.
Ek sien hierdie boodskap van die President as dat hy besef hoe belangrik 'n suksesvolle landbousektor vir die toekoms van Suid-Afrika is en dat ons oor politieke en ander grense heen genoeg met mekaar in gemeen het om saam hieraan te kan werk omdat die krisis in die landbou so ernstig is.
Dat die landbousektor voor vele probleme staan en dat die toekoms groot eise aan ons almal hier teenwoordig gaan stel, is nie te betwyfel nie. Ek het die aanstelling as adjunkminister na deeglike oorweging aanvaar, bewus van die groot eise wat dit gaan stel, asook die risiko's wat so 'n besluit inhou. Johan van Wyk, 'n oud-joernalis, maak my besluit nie makliker as hy in 12 Junie se Landbouweekblad 'n humoristiese artikel oor al die vorige oud-Ministers van Landbou skryf nie. Daarin het hy geskryf hoe landbouministers in Suid-Afrika glad nie baie lank hou nie. Volgens sy syfers het Suid-Afrika die afgelope 100 jaar iets meer as 30 landbouministers gehad en toon hy aan hoe hulle baie gou ongewild raak. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[The DEPUTY MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES: Chairperson, hon Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson, hon members, I would like to start by paying homage to Mr Tommy Marais, chief financial officer of the department, who passed away suddenly last night and who played a major role in the department.
President Zuma's decision to separate Land Affairs and Agriculture has sparked off positive and negative reactions. Similarly, the President's announcement of his Cabinet, in particular of the Ministers of Agriculture, sparked off positive and negative reactions. Comments from the media varied from surprise to shock, but also praise. Commentators were, however, in agreement that with the separation of the Departments of Land Affairs and of Agriculture, as well as with his selection of Ministers, the President wanted to send a clear signal to the agricultural sector, as well as to the whole of South Africa.
I see in this message from the President that he realises how important a successful agricultural sector will be for the future of South Africa, and that we have enough in common across the political and other divides to be able to work on this together, because the crisis in agriculture really is serious.
That the agricultural sector is faced with many problems and that the future will make stiff demands on all of us gathered here cannot be denied. After thorough consideration I accepted the appointment as Deputy Minister, realising the big demands it will make, as well as the inherent risks. Johan van Wyk, a former journalist, has not made my decision any easier with his humoristic article in the Landbouweekblad of 12 June about all the previous ministers of agriculture. He has described how in South Africa Ministers of Agriculture do not last very long. According to his figures South Africa has had a little over 30 Ministers of Agriculture in the past 100 years and he has shown how they became unpopular very quickly.]
The agricultural challenges to this country are ever-increasing, as influential international events and urgent local demands have to be addressed. The worldwide financial crises resulted in slowing economic growth, not only in industrial countries, but also in developing countries. When factors such as global climate change and input costs are taken into account, high demands are placed on the various agricultural role-players in order to continue attaining objectives, such as food security, lower food prices and the establishment of emerging farmers in the coming few years.
Although agriculture only contributes 3% to the GDP, it remains one of the largest contributors to employment provision in this country's total economy. According to calculations, 8,5 million people are directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture for employment and income, requiring careful and responsible decision-making in order to ensure a balanced and healthy agricultural sector. A successful agricultural sector remains a key priority for South Africa in addressing all these issues.
The World Trade Atlas of 18 February 2009 released the preliminary value of South Africa's total agriculture exports as amounting to R45,3 billion in 2008, which is an increase of 51% from 2007. The preliminary agricultural imports were R39 billion for 2008, an increase of nearly 31% from 2007. The resulting agricultural trade surplus was R6,3 billion for 2008.
These statistics point to a high export of primary produce and a high import of processed food, therefore, indicating an opportunity to develop our beneficiation industries. This becomes an opportunity for entrepreneurs to venture into agro-processing, creating their own jobs and at the same time beginning to absorb labour. An important part of our mission is to ensure the availability of and access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food.
Addressing a meeting of the World Affairs Council of Northern California in San Francisco, Dr Jacques Diouf, as Director-General Food and Agriculture of the UN said:
In the next few decades, a major international effort is needed to feed the world when the population soars from six to nine billion. We might call it a second green revolution.
This was supported by the call of the Secretary-General of the UN, Mr Ban Ki-moon, in 2008, for another green revolution, this time acknowledging that the world will be looking at Africa for answers to food security.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum last week, the Rwandan President, Paul Kagame, reacted by saying that Africa can be the world's breadbasket, and I agree with that. At the same occasion, former UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, added:
In Africa, food security is not a theoretical problem. Almost 300 million Africans go to bed without anything to eat.
Therefore, providing sufficient food for the South African public remains one of the most important aims of the agricultural sector. Conversely, if food security is threatened, this would lead to famine, which then results in political instability, coupled with all its negative effects. Stated bluntly, a nation that is not able to grow its food and feed its people, is a failing nation.
A joint statement issued in 2008 by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the World Food Programme, mentioned that one underlying cause of the current world food crises was the dramatic decline in agricultural investment over the past three decades, when official development assistance tumbled from 17% in total to around 3% in 2006.
As daar van voedselsekuriteit in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks gepraat word, is dit dikwels nie soseer 'n tekort aan voedsel nie, maar eerder die voedselpryse wat die probleem is. Voedsel word so duur dat selfs basiese voedselsoorte ver buite die bereik van 'n groot deel van die bevolking is. Die vraag is: Waarom word die prys van voedsel op die winkelrakke steeds duurder, terwyl sommige landboukommoditeitspryse daal?
Kom ek gee vir u een voorbeeld: Volgens statistieke van die Nasionale Landboubemarkingsraad het die prys van koring van April 2008 tot April 2009 met 36% gedaal. In hierdie tyd het die Safex-prys vir koring van R3 962 per ton tot R2 526 per ton gedaal. Terwyl koring se prys met 36% gedaal het, het bruinbrood se prys in dieselfde tyd met 22% gestyg. Hoe verklaar 'n mens dit? Volgens dr Andr Jooste, senior bestuurder van die Nasionale Landboubemarkingsraad, is die groot les wat almal hieruit moet leer dat daar 'n verband is tussen voedselsekuriteit en die winsgewendheid van landbou. As koring winsgewend verbou kan word, sal boere dit plant en so verseker dat daar genoeg kos bekostigbaar geproduseer word. Die omgekeerde is natuurlik ook waar. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[When food security is mentioned in the South African context, it is often not so much a shortage of food, but rather the price of food that is the problem. Food is becoming so expensive that even basic foods are out of reach of a large part of the population. The question is: Why the prices of food on the shelves in the stores keep on rising, while the prices of some agricultural commodities are dropping?
Let me give you an example: According to statistics from the National Agricultural Marketing Council, the price of wheat dropped by 30% from April 2008 to April 2009. In this time the Safex price for wheat dropped from R3 962 per ton to R2 526 per ton. While the price of wheat dropped by 36%, the price of brown bread increased by 22%. How does one explain this? According to Dr Andr Jooste, senior manager of the National Agricultural Marketing Council, the big lesson everybody must learn from this is that there is a link between food security and the profitability of agriculture. If wheat can be grown profitably, farmers will plant it, thus ensuring that enough food is produced in an affordable manner. Of course, the opposite is also true.]
High food prices are not only a problem in South Africa; this is gripping the whole world. This is compounded by the increasing global populations and resultant food demands, on the one hand, and limited natural resources, demands for alternative energy and the effects of climate change, on the other.
Continual improvement of agriculture infrastructure is important, as farming remains an economic activity. Better research, improved extension and water quality, access roads, etc, therefore, remain a priority. Rural development and the alleviation of poverty only become possible if there is continued growth in the agricultural sector. Continued growth in the agricultural sector is, again, only possible if the sector continues to be competitive nationally and internationally.
Die Departement van Landbou, kommersile boere en opkomende boere is van die belangrikste rolspelers om van landbou in Suid-Afrika 'n sukses te maak en voedselsekuriteit te waarborg. Die groot uitdaging in die volgende paar jaar gaan wees om die regte balans tussen hierdie verskillende rolspelers te kry.
In hierdie opsig is kommersile boere deel van die oplossing op dieseitele wyse as wat opkomende boere daarvan deel is. Te dikwels word kommersile boere as die probleem en nie as deel van die oplossing gesien nie - en dit help nie om hier na individuele gevalle te verwys nie. Verantwoordelike venootskappe tussen kommersile en opkomende boere kan baie van die huidige probleme aanpak. Verantwoordelike vennootskappe behels egter begrip vir die verwagtinge van opkomende boere sowel as begrip vir die probleme en onsekerhede van kommersile boere.
'n Kommersile boer het my onlangs voorgekeer en gekritiseer omdat ek net praat van opkomende en kommersile boere. Volgens hom is daar naas kommersile en opkomende boere ook nog 'n derde groep boere, naamlik wat hy noem "ondergaande" kommersile boere en daaraan moet ook aandag gegee word.
Sommige van die probleme en onsekerhede van boere waarvoor daar begrip moet wees, is, onder andere, verhoogde insetkostes en lae winsgewendheid; ondoeltreffende steunstelsels; volhoubare hulpbronbestuur; en veral veiligheid en sekuriteit.
Hoewel almal in Suid-Afrika met misdaad te kampe het, het landelike misdaad 'n skokkende statistiek geword. Misdaad op plase bly 'n ernstige probleem. Onlangs het ons byvoorbeeld die ongelukkige voorval by Bultfontein gehad, waar polisiereserviste na bewering by so 'n plaasaanval betrokke was. Die kernprobleem bly die veiligheidsvakuum wat ontstaan het n die afskaffing van die kommando's. Daarom is die veiligheid en sekuriteitsforum tussen die landbou-unies en die polisie, waarna in die hersiene landboustrategieplan verwys word, uiters belangrik.
Die uitnodiging van die President van die Demokratiese Republiek van die Kongo aan Suid-Afrikaanse boere om daar te kom boer, s ook iets van Afrika en van hoe Afrika die belangrikheid van die Suid-Afrikaanse boere sien. Die regering van die Demokratiese Republiek van die Kongo is bereid om kosteloos aan Suid-Afrikaanse kommersile boere eksklusiewe gebruiksreg oor plase vir 'n termyn van 99 jaar te gee. Boonop kry boere 'n vyfjaar- belastingvakansie en word hulle vrygestel van invoerbelasting op alle landbou-insette en toerusting.
Winste en beleggings kan te enige tyd weer uit die land geneem word. Die regering van die Demokratiese Republiek van die Kongo het staatsplase in die vrugbare Niari-vallei, wat gesamentlik meer as 135 000 ha groot is, uitsluitlik vir Suid-Afrikaanse boere geoormerk en 'n verdere 10 miljoen hektaar kan ook beskikbaar gestel word.
Om 'n Suid-Afrikaanse boer wat winsgewend boer te verloor, vind ek altyd 'n groot jammerte en 'n verlies vir Suid-Afrika. [Tussenwerpsels.] Ek dink nie jy boer nie, so ek luister nie na jou nie. Ons moet dit voorkom, want dit is 'n verlies as dit so is. Tog moet die Suid-Afrikaanse bevolking en die regering kennis neem van die waarde wat Afrika-regerings aan hierdie boere heg in hul pogings om Suid-Afrikaanse boere na ander Afrikalande te lok.
Ter afsluiting, president Zuma glo dat, ten opsigte van landbou, ons oor politieke grense heen genoeg met mekaar in gemeen het om saam die uitdagings in die landbousektor te kan aanpak. Hierdie uitdaging het hy aan ons almal hier teenwoordig gestel. Die toekoms sal leer in watter mate ons - en dis nou almal hier teenwoordig wat 'n belang daarby het - hierdie uitdagings gaan aanvaar en suksesvol sal aanpak in belang van elkeen in Suid-Afrika. Ek dank u. [Applous.] (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[The Department of Agriculture, commercial farmers and emerging farmers are some of the most important role-players to make a success of agriculture in South Africa and to ensure food security. The big challenge in the next few years will be finding the correct balance between these various role- players.
In this regard commercial farmers are as much a part of the solution as the emerging farmers. All too often commercial farmers are seen as the problem and not as part of the solution - and it is of no use here to refer to individual cases. Responsible partnerships between commercial and emerging farmers can address many of the current problems. However, responsible partnerships entail an understanding of the expectations of emerging farmers as well as an understanding for the problems and uncertainties of commercial farmers.
A commercial farmer recently stopped and criticised me, because I only ever mention emerging and commercial farmers. According to him there also is a third group of farmers, namely what he calls the "sinking" commercial farmers to whom attention should be paid.
Some of the problems and uncertainties of farmers for which there should be understanding are the increased input costs and low profitability, ineffective support systems, sustainable resource management and especially safety and security.
Although everyone in South Africa has to contend with crime, rural crime has become a shocking statistic. Crime on farms remains a serious problem. Recently we had that unfortunate incident at Bultfontein, where police reservists were allegedly involved in such a farm attack. The core problem remains the security vacuum which developed after the commandos were discontinued. That is why the safety and security forum between the agricultural unions and the police, referred to in the reviewed agricultural strategy plan, is extremely important.
The invitation by the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to South African farmers to go and farm over there also tells us something about Africa and how Africa views the importance of the South African farmers. The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is prepared to give South African farmers free and exclusive right of use of its farms for 99-year terms. On top of that the farmers receive a 5-year tax holiday and are exempt from import duties on all agricultural input and equipment.
Profits and investments can be taken out of the country at any time. The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has earmarked state farms in the fertile Niari Valley, which together total over 135 000 ha, exclusively for South African farmers, while a further 10 million ha can also be made available.
I find that losing a South African farmer who is farming profitably is always a great pity and a loss for South Africa. [Interjections.] Well, I don't think you're a farmer, so I won't listen to you. We have to avoid this, because it is a loss as such. But the South African population and government must take note of the value which African governments are attaching to these farmers in their efforts to tempt South African farmers to other countries in Africa.
In closing, President Zuma believes that in respect of agriculture we have enough in common across political divides to tackle the challenges in the agricultural sector together. He has put this challenge to all of us gathered here. The future will show to what degree we - and this is everybody present here who is concerned - will be accepting these challenges successfully in the interests of everyone in South Africa. I thank you. [Applause.]]