Farming
Africa is
open for
business
“
The dream to eradicate poverty
and hunger is possible if
stakeholders accept, understand
and execute their responsibilities;
make meaningful contributions to help
new farmers to enter and grow in the
sector as well as share constructively
in meeting the escalating needs of
the world for primary and processed
agricultural products,” so said Elias
Masilela, executive chairperson of
DNA Economics and a member of
the National Planning Commission,
speaking at the launch of Agri Cape
Week recently in Worcester.
He emphasised that it is the responsibility
of all economic players and in particular
agriculture stakeholders to contribute to
the eradication of poverty and hunger.
Agriculture and the rural economy are at the
heart of the food security dream.
Agriculture needs to be repositioned overall,
to be able to meet the demands of the
country, the rest of continental market and
the world, opined Masilela. A new focus to
this effect needs to be adopted urgently to
look at the ways in which agriculture can
contribute to the need for a bigger, richer
and sustainable economy.
Solutions
According to Masilela agriculture currently
offers, through the full value chain as many
as 1.1 million jobs and contributes about
R150 billion to the GDP. Drawing from a
recent study, he argued that agri exports can
be quadrupled from the current R67 billion
per annum to R212 billion. With Africa open
for business and South Africa currently ranked
as tenth on the leader list of agricultural
exporters to Europe, Masilela sees significant
growth potential.
He echoes the lament of the Financing for
Development report, which makes the point
that 800 million undernourished people,
most in rural communities, do not have
access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food.
“In South Africa the solution for economic
growth, job creation and poverty relief is
embedded in the National Development
Plan,” Masilela says. He points out that the
National Plan still projects about 643 000
direct and 326 000 indirect job opportunities
by 2030 through agriculture, agricultural
processing and related industries.
To achieve the dream of food security, food
exportation and a strong rural economy
service delivery and infrastructure need to
be improved, as well as the establishment