Ncape Emerging Farmers Consultative Conference Endorses Entrepreneurial Development

22 October 2004

The Northern Cape’s MEC for Agriculture and Land Reform, Ms. Tina Joemat-Pettersson says she will continue consulting the province’s emerging farmers on their growth and development by staging district based conferences. This comes amid the huge success of the two-day Emerging Farmers Consultative Conference that was held in the heart of the green Kalahari Upington - this past Wednesday and Thursday (20-21 October 2004). Over 300 emerging farmers from all corners of the province descended upon the banks of the Orange River for the all-important conference that was aided by the Land Bank, Standard Bank, Northern Cape Economic Development Agency and ABSA. A large number of agriculture’s luminaries were also in attendance.

In her end of conference address that was based on the proposals and concerns that were raised, MEC Joemat-Pettersson said conference had succeeded in consulting emerging farmers on the impediments of their prosperity and sourcing their proposals for the betterment of service delivery. ³ The Department will assist you in convening district conferences that would serve as a catalyst of synergy within the emerging sector. Through conference we were able to formulate guidelines on mentor ships and also vouch for strong management structures in your different enterprises said MEC Joemat-Pettersson.

She asserted that conference further surfaced as an Agri-BEE plank in that it concerned itself with emerging farmer entrepreneurial development hence the discussions on finance, marketing, training, mentor ships and technical support.

Key concerns that were raised by the emerging farmers included among others, frustrations on the commonage land that is purchased by the Department of Land Affairs on behalf of municipalities, loan systems of various financial institutions and co-ordination of support for the sector. These concerns were noted by the MEC through her commitment to engage all relevant structures in an attempt to resolve them and ignite discussions. The farmers hailed the Department for allowing them to air their concerns and also for challenging them to embrace the Department’s vision of ³ a united and prosperous agricultural sector. The sponsors also earned kudos for their benevolent deed of supporting conference from both the MEC and attendees.

Enquiries: Thabo Mothibi e-mail: Tmothibi@grand.ncape.gov.za: Mobile 083 255 8840

Source: Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reform