We must value, support and promote Mzansi’s farmers if we are to withstand the worldwide wave of price increases and mounting pressure on local consumers. This is a message from President Cyril Ramaphosa himself in this week’s official letter to the nation, which the presidency published yesterday (Monday, 7 June 2022).
“We have a strong agricultural sector that continues to grow and create jobs,” Ramaphosa writes, and adds that government is investing heavily in improving local capacity, supporting commercial and small-scale farmers alike and helping more people to grow their own food.
The president currently finds himself in a highly uncomfortable position, having to answer questions about criminal charges laid against him by former State Security Agency and Correctional Services director-general Arthur Fraser. Fraser’s widely publicised charges include money laundering, defeating the ends of justice and kidnapping in relation to a burglary on the president’s wildlife farm in Limpopo, in which vast amounts of US dollars were stolen.
In his regular letter to the nation yesterday, Ramaphosa turns the attention to the farming sector.
Despite many controversies around the Presidential Employment Stimulus Initiative (Pesi), he lists it as a main point of support from government.
“Input vouchers have been given to over 65 000 smallholder farmers, and work is underway to reach 250 000 such farmers. Government is also providing subsistence farmers with fertilisers and equipment to produce food and helping groups or individuals to start their own food gardens. In provinces like North West, small-scale farmers are supported with agricultural ‘starter-packs’ of seedlings and poultry, in partnership with local agricultural colleges.
“Through the Pro-Active Land Acquisition Strategy and the release of state-owned land for agriculture, we are supporting more small-scale farmers to expand their businesses and make them commercially successful.
“We are also focusing on establishing more public-private partnerships to support the expansion of black commercial farming through initiatives like the Partners in Agri Land Solutions and the Agricultural Development Agency,” the president writes.
To enhance biosecurity and safeguard animal health against diseases like foot-and-mouth, he adds, government is strengthening animal movement control measures and vaccine production capabilities.
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Consumers sacrifice quality of life
The president frames the importance of agriculture against steep price increases that have dramatically affected consumers’ quality of life.
“These increases, particularly the price of fuel, are the consequence of events over which we have little control. The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine has had a significant impact on the price of fuel and food. Another factor is lower agricultural output due to extreme weather events caused by climate change, such as flooding and droughts.”
He says government is doing what it can to shield the South African from current and future price increases and mentions keeping inflation “within a narrow target range, well below what many other countries are experiencing”, and the temporary suspension of the fuel levy.
He calls on all of society to get involved, however.
“Corporate South Africa should ensure that consumers do not pay more for food than they have to. We welcome the indications from food manufacturers and retailers that they are putting measures in place to help consumers get more for their money.
“In March this year the Competition Commission released for public comment the terms of reference for a market enquiry into the fresh produce market. It noted that the cost of fresh produce has been increasing at above-inflation levels, and that this has had a disproportionate effect on the poor. The inquiry will examine if there are any distortions in the value chain that make food more expensive.
“Though oil prices and extreme weather are events over which we have little control, there is still much we can do, as government, business, labour and communities to help the people of South Africa through this difficult time.”
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