Mec speech at Media briefing at the breakfast
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- Bu səhifədəki naviqasiya:
- Budget allocation and breakdown
- 2. Land and agrarian reform in support of emerging and small scale farmers
- Maize Triangle Project
- Gauteng Agricultural Development Strategy
- Agricultural Co-operative Plan
- Agricultural Disaster Mitigation Plan
- Food Security and the upcoming Food Security Summit as well as Gauteng Comprehensive Rural Development and Infrastructure Services
- Water Resource Protection and Acid Mine Drainage
- Sustainable Environmental Management
- Reducing of green gas emissions, climate change and improved air atmospheric quality
Speech of Ms Nandi Mayathula-Khoza, Gauteng MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, during the media briefing breakfast on 25 July 2011 at Parktonian hotel Johannesburg Programme Director: Members of the media Officials from all spheres of government (National, Provincial and Local) Invited guests Ladies and gentlemen Molweni, sanibonani, dumelang, goeie more, good morning to you all. Thank you all for coming to this important media briefing, The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has always been committed to participatory governance, affording its stakeholder constant updates and opportunities to contribute to shaping the department for the better. This media briefing session is part of that ongoing consultation and is also a reporting back session the department to ensure that stakeholders are informed about what the department is doing to improve the quality of the lives of the people of Gauteng and demonstrate government commitment to accountability.
This year’s Budget Vote speech was informed by national and provincial priorities in line with the Outcomes Based Approach which covers 12 national outcomes (each with a number of outputs, indicators and targets). Of these 12 outcomes, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD) leads Outcomes 7 (Vibrant, Equitable and Sustainable Rural Communities contributing to Food Security for All) and 10 (Protected and enhanced environmental assets and natural resources).With a total allocation of R489, 850 million for the 2011/12 financial year, the budget will be split as follows to ensure that the department fulfils its mandate
2. Land and agrarian reform in support of emerging and small scale farmers Land reform in Gauteng is progressing well in that 10 865 (97%) of the 11 145 land claims have been settled and only 280 are outstanding and are in courts. The total number of 16 378 hectares of land has been restored and R635 204 709 has been paid in financial compensation. The challenge, however, is to ensure sustainable food production on fertile farms. Our role is to provide pre and post settlement support to land reform beneficiaries. National government is providing are capitalization and development programme to revitalize unproductive farms bought through land reform. About 161 of the 1528 land reform related jobs were created in Gauteng to date. We are participating in the national Green Paper process on land reform in SA, which is underpinned by three fundamental principles: de-radicalizing the rural economy; democratic allocation and use of land; and, sustained production discipline for food production. With regards to access to finance by emerging as well as smallholder farmers, GDARD has developed an operational plan to improve access to finance for operational costs for emerging farmers. We have since linked 64 farmers who subsequently received financial support through DFIs such as NERPO, Peolwane, NDA and the Land Bank. Despite farmers accessing funding, some of their projects have failed due to poor management. To support farmers, we have since disseminated 21 485 agricultural production information manuals and brochures to communities, and facilitated commodity study groups to ensure that these projects are sustainable. Together with the Premier of Gauteng and the Department of Economic Development, GDARD launched the Maize Triangle Project to stimulate growth in the agricultural sector and to promote food production and agri-businesses in the Sedibeng area. We supported 44 grain producing farmers within the maize triangle covering Emfuleni, and Lesedi and rolled it out to Kungwini Local Municipalities with production inputs through the Letsema/Illima programme. As part of our mechanization support programme, we made available twelve (12) tractors, ploughs and planters to the farming community in Gauteng. Three (3) tractors were given directly to the successful maize farmers of Holfontein Co-operative and nine (9) tractors were distributed to municipalities to enable them to service farmers. In line with our approved Gauteng Agricultural Development Strategy and through the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Program, the department has supported farmers with on-farm infrastructure including 14 farmers with 42 hydroponics structures, 12 with piggery structures and 17 with poultry structures. A total of 18 farmers were mentored and 250 smallholder farmers received training on poultry production, piggery production and vegetable production throughout Gauteng. In line with the approved Agricultural Co-operative Plan, forty two (42) co-operatives from Metsweding, Sedibeng, West Rand and City of JHB received support in the form of on and off-farm infrastructure, production inputs such as chickens, feed, maize, seedlings, herbicides etc, and training and capacity building. Eighteen cooperatives were awarded contracts by government and are successfully supplying their produce to hospitals and orphanages. However, we acknowledge that some of these cooperatives still need more support to promote sustainability. We are particularly proud of Balemi Ba Lekoa, former female farmers of the year (2006), who through government and agri-industrial support continue to thrive in mixed agri-business/farming activities. GDARD supported two commercial farmers, IXL Farms and Eldorado Fresh Lettuce Producers that were heavily damaged by hailstorms in Tarlton with vegetable seeds, seedlings and fertilizers as part of the Agricultural Disaster Mitigation Plan that was approved during 2010. This support was appreciated by affected farmers. In implementing the EXCO approved Gauteng Extension Revitalization Plan during 2010, we rendered a valuable agricultural extension service to 658 farmers. In improving this service, a Digital Pen System was procured and delivered to our 67 extension officers and 92 agricultural advisers were provided with 3G modems, 25 laptops, and 12 printers. This service has contributed to effective extension and advisory support to farmers. To further improve decent employment Opportunities & economic livelihoods, we intend to work with Universities to have a biotechnology science park space at the innovation hub in Tshwane to harness the development of knowledge base economy. This year we are working on a funding model & sources there-of because it is an expensive venture
The department will continue to implement the Household Food Security Programme targeting 11 000 households for homestead food gardens through the Siyazondla Programme (one household-one food garden) and 34 community food gardens in the 50 poorest wards. We will roll out 34 irrigation installations in newly identified community gardens in those poorest wards. We will continue to monitor and strengthen the food gardens programme to ensure proper maintenance of the existing food gardens as well as the newly established ones. We will also encourage and support agro-processing and marketing of food from these gardens for income generation through value addition. During the third quarter of this current financial year, we will host a Food Security Summit for all role-players and stakeholders in Gauteng to assess the progress made since the last Food Summit held in 2008. In this summit, we will also look at various mechanisms that can be put in place to address the current challenges and needs in the food production sector with a view to work towards achieving our main goal of ensuring a food secure province, given the eminent population growth. We will also continue to support and work closely with the Gauteng Department of Health and Social Development on the Food Emergency Relief Programme to ensure zero hunger in the province.
While acknowledging that water resource protection is the competence of the National Department of Water Affairs, and the Provincial Department of Local Government, we, as the custodians of the environment in the province have supported and participated in the Water Resources Protection Strategy formulation processes driven by the provincial Department of Local government. We have also participated in the Inter- Ministerial processes aimed at finding sustainable solutions to the acid mine drainage problem. In addition, we rehabilitated one wetland in Johannesburg. A total of 28 779 hectares of invasive alien vegetation have been cleared through working for water projects in Tshwane; Lesedi; City of Johannesburg; Mogale City; and, Emfuleni. GDARD will identify a total of four (4) priority wetlands, develop and implement related management plans. Eight projects will be implemented under Working for Wetlands and Working for Water Programmes. In terms of Acid Mine Drainage, we acknowledge that agriculture and mines have a great role to play in water usage, water recharge and water pollution. In agriculture, the use of water from the Vaal river systems is important as it reduces the available water resources to power the economy. The Department of Water Affairs (DWA) is in charge of all water resources and planning in the province. Licenses are issued by DWA for agricultural users. The use of fertilizers and run off farming operations can pollute river water and cause additional expense to the purification process. In the mining sector, seepage water into the mines is the challenge and has to be regularly pumped for mining operations to continue. The monitoring of mining operations and its impact on the environment has to be regulated by DWA and the Department of Environment. The recharging of ground water basins has not been looked at seriously by the technical experts. Water purified by the mines can be used to recharge the ground water systems. GDARD will continue to support and make inputs into initiatives geared towards the management of acid mine drainage (AMD) problem, thus ensuring clean and drinkable water.
The department launched and started implementing the Clean and Green campaign which aims to create awareness and encourage sustainable environmental action across all municipalities in the province. We distributed 61 744 trees for planting throughout the province focusing of 50 poorest wards, conducting 122 clean-ups and converted 10 illegal dumping spots into mini recreational parks. The targeted number of trees for the current term is 1000 000 (indigenous and fruit trees). During 2011/12, to ensure that the province is litter-free and that there is better waste management, we have launched the Gauteng Waste Collection Standards on 13 June of this year. We will work with municipalities to run waste management capacity building sessions to ensure that people understand how these standards work. We will also intensify the promotion of recycling across the province to ensure that it becomes a viable income -generating activity for communities. It is hoped that implementation of these standard will contribute to addressing rodent problems in municipalities and the dangers that come with them. During this year GDARD will accelerate the implementation of Clean and Green Campaign’s community outreach awareness component, through greening and clean-ups in all municipalities, with a focus on the West Rand in support of the Mayor’s Green IQ vision. We will complement this outreach programme with the competition component, Bontle ke Botho (BkB) which encourages participation of schools and communities in wards to initiate projects on water conservation, energy efficiency, waste management, sustainable agriculture and greening. Prizes won by schools and wards in this competition are used for initiating new projects or improving old ones. GDARD will restore and rehabilitate degraded ecosystems through community based natural resource management and habitat rehabilitation projects through Land Care to address land degradation and soil erosion. As part of strengthening compliance and enforcement or alignment of policy or legislative frameworks, we will enter into agreements through Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Executive Mayors/MMC’s in municipalities. GDARD will finalize and launch the State of the Environment Report which will assist us to identify areas of weakness and where we are performing better as a province in relation to environment. We will also finalize and implement the strategy and action plans for the Reclamation of Mine Dumps. This strategy will provide guidelines for reclamation and better management of derelict and ownerless mine/dumps sites. In response to the EXCO decision, we are working swiftly to finalize the relocation of the EIA function from GDARD to the Gauteng Planning Commission. While we are finalizing the relocation process, GDARD will continue to expedite the EIAs in line with the legislative timeframes. We will also continue to raise awareness on EIA regulations through workshops in all municipalities.
We successfully repaired five of the seven air quality stations placed with municipalities. Data is now generated from these stations which indicate the ambient air quality in these areas. We are addressing the challenge linked to insufficient technical capacity to maintain stations and the equipment with relevant municipalities. During 2011/12, we will continue to maintain the seven networks of air quality stations to ensure that the status of air is known. We will finalize the Gauteng Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Strategy and launch it as part of our contribution to COP 17 in Durban at the end of this year. This strategy will also show links between agriculture and climate change, for example on how food gardens will mitigate GHG emissions, contribute to water and soil conservation, and support poverty alleviation and food security. This does not require large upfront investments, and is suitable for youth/women empowerment and education. On behalf of the province, the department will organize an awareness workshop that will include municipalities, NGOs, CBOs including the poor and private sector, to prepare for the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which will be held in Durban later this year. The overall objective of COP 17 is to assess progress made in dealing with climate change as well as pave the way forward in terms of addressing the current challenges. Remember: working together we can do more! Thank you. Yüklə 35 Kb. Dostları ilə paylaş:
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