CONGRATULATORY REMARKS BY PREMIER T S P MAKWETLA AT THE DINNER TO HONOUR MS LINDA NGHATSANE, THE 2006 NATIONAL FEMALE FARMER OF THE YEAR AND OTHER FARMERS
05 September 2006, Emnotweni Arena
Programme Director,
MEC for Agriculture and Land Administration, Madala Masuku,
Political and Traditional Leaders here present,
The farming community of Mpumalanga and its distinguished leaders,
Government Officials,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen
Allow me to take this opportunity to congratulate all the competing farmers who participated in the 2006 National Female Farmer of the Year competition. Coming a few days after the National Women's Month, this endeavour is a testimony of efforts aimed at all-round gender equity sponsored under our new dispensation. In many ways this day belongs to the women of this province who have conquered various challenges to take their rightful positions in the agricultural sector.
It is common knowledge indeed, that since the origin of the family and the social division of labour, women have been at the centre of food security of many early societies to date, forever nurturing life, to the relief of all. Today we celebrate the fact that, that role of feeding the nation has gone beyond the kitchen into the production units of agriculture. It is my understanding that the Female Farmer Competition is an instrument through which women's contribution to the fight against poverty is being recognised and encouraged. This competition goes beyond recognising women as the custodians of household food security but also as key economic players and agents of growth in our society.
We must return to the land, “Lehumo le tswa tshemong.”
It is a well-established observation that socio-economic development efforts tend to be more impactful when women play a key role in them. We can therefore say with certainty that the agricultural sector, not only in Mpumalanga but also nationally, will never be the same.
Program director, a nation that cannot feed itself is living precariously, because it can be reduced to the status of an international beggar with its independence compromised. Failure to produce sufficient food to meet domestic demand implies the need to import food. Importing food in turn implies making the stark choice of having to use foreign exchange reserves earned from other export sectors of the economy to import food instead of importing technology and machinery that could improve our productivity. Food security is therefore an essential goal of government policy because it lays the basis for us to address other pressing social and economic challenges.
Program director, we have an obligation to our people to ensure that at the barest minimum, even before we can export any food, every mouth in our country is fed. Unfortunately the market economy operates in a more complex fashion. When we say we have overproduced a particular crop, what we mean is that the industry has exceeded what the market can afford to buy. This has little to do with how many stomachs are actually going empty. By supplementing people's incomes through various means and feeding schoolchildren, government indirectly adds to the demand for agricultural outputs and the growth of the sector.
Ladies and gentlemen, the importance of agriculture goes beyond agricultural production itself. Historically, manufacturing, also known as industrialisation, developed on the back of surplus production in agriculture, which enabled various forms of value addition to take place. Savings from agriculture also enabled investment in the then nascent industrial production. Given the high levels of industrial and technological development surrounding us today it is easy to forget this very important relationship between agriculture and industry.
To a limited extent compared to manufacturing, agriculture also has some linkages to other sectors of the economy where manufacturing and service outputs become inputs in agriculture while agricultural outputs become inputs in manufacturing in the form of agro-processing. Value-addition in agriculture is therefore an important way of expanding incomes earned. It is for this reason that government continues to champion efforts and programs towards the development of bio-fuels. It is critical that previously disadvantaged farmers and women in particular, participate in this development. Such participation must however not be limited to the supply of the raw material inputs, be it soya, maize or other crops. A way must also be found for the farmers to participate in the value addition and innovation, in partnership with the established and technologically advanced manufacturers.
Program Director, one of the flagship programs of government in agriculture in Mpumalanga is Masibuyele ‘emasimini. This program of empowering subsistence farmers with inputs, implements and know-how for higher levels of agricultural productivity needs the support of those farmers who are established. Those who are at the early stages of their development will have a low failure rate if they have sufficient knowledge to tap into as well as markets to supply. We encourage you to forge partnerships with them and with government towards this end.
Ladies and Gentlemen, this day belongs to Ms Linda Nghatsane, the National Female farmer of the year. Congratulations madam. We are aware that you probably do not wake up every morning driven by the desire to win awards but the passion to realise your goals as a farmer. It is apparent however that winning the award against such formidable national competition was not an easy achievement. You have made us proud and we wish you all the best in your endeavours. If anything, use this awards as an opportunity to promote and grow your business.
Thank you!