AGRI EC reaffirms stance to uplift emerging markets
THE Eastern Cape Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform is reinforcing its plan of elevating emerging farmers to fully-fledged commercial producers by formally roping in experienced industry role players –a move which AGRI Eastern Cape said was long overdue.
The department which is tasked with driving a sustainable agricultural sector in the Eastern Cape Province held a farmers’ workshop at its Dohne Research Institute on Thursday where acting Head of Department (AHoD) Bongikhaya Dayimani said the province possessed a huge potential to be counted among the biggest contributors in the country’s Gross Domestic Production (GDP).
He however said the development of agricultural economy and its flourishment in the Eastern Cape needed an ‘all-hands-on-deck’ approach.
“Government alone cannot do it. We can pump millions of money in all the different projects without realizing the envisaged results if other role players, particularly those with expertise and experience don’t come to the party.
Everybody must be on board and with these kind of platforms we want to organize the farming community into one so we can speak in unison,” said Dayimani with nods of approval from the attendees.
Statistics show that the Eastern Cape agricultural sector contributes only 1.7 % to the provincial GDP with a 6% agricultural value Nationally. In the midst of it all, the province has 3.8 million ha under-developed land in the former homelands with most agricultural activities taking place in the Sarah Bartmaan region.
Now the department looks to help farmers replicate the methodology applied in the Sarah Bartmaan district in other districts –something which president for AGRI EC, Doug Stern said needed intellectual capital more than anything else.
“We cannot run away from the fact that others had better opportunities than others and it is that acknowledgement that has brought us where we are.
Time has come for us to work together towards a common goal of sustainable agriculture by making use of all the missed opportunities.
We have said this before and we are committing again to co-operate and intervene in the development of agriculture across all commodities,” said Stern.
He added that apart from contributing with intellectual capital to the course, a detailed framework that their partnership with the stakeholders will be anchored on is under development.
“Part of the contents of the framework includes constant involvement of the commercial farmers that supply emerging farmers with bulls and rams. There is a tendency of silliness among commercial farmers where they supply other farmers with bulls to help improve the genetics of their livestock without even checking the quality of what they are supplying.
Among other things, the framework will force the suppliers to constantly monitor the effectiveness of their supplies so that customers get the desired results that were guaranteed by the supplier,” he added.
Chairman for Eastern Cape Farmers’ Association, Xolile Ngqameni applauded the move saying it would bridge the gap that keeps widening between emerging farmers and the market.
The concerned parties are set to convene another meeting in March.