With the impact of climate change on agriculture currently a hot topic at Cop27, Cyril Ramaphosa has now added a “farmer’s voice” to the presidential climate commission – a move widely welcomed by the sector.
The president touched down in Egypt yesterday for Cop27. He confirmed the appointment of Janse Rabie, Agri SA’s legal and policy executive, to the commission charged to oversee and facilitate a just and equitable transition towards a low-emissions and climate-resilient economy.
Speaking to Food For Mzansi following his appointment, Rabie said the voices of agriculture representatives needed to be much more prominent in discussions around the climate crisis. Until now, farmers have been, to a large extent, excluded from mitigation and policy formulation discussions.
“It is vitally important that agriculture is included in the presidential climate commission. The farmers in South Africa are those people that are the most directly impacted by climate change, especially climate volatility,” he said.
Producers, he pointed out, experienced the effects of climate change on their farms every day.
Rabie’s appointment, Agri SA believes, is an important step in building the consensus needed to effectively address the challenges brought on by climate change,
Also, in the broader context of food security it is vitally important that agriculture is not excluded from the discussion, planning and strategising on climate change in bodies such as the presidential climate commission.
“We are very happy that the sector is represented at the presidential climate commission. The most important thing for us is to ensure that agriculture, as a very important sector in the South African economy, does not get lost or drowned out in the discussion around climate change,” said the organisation in a release.
Agriculture should play a central role in discussions around policy formulation, response activities, adaptation and mitigation, Rabie added. Apart from him, agriculture, land reform and rural development minister Thoko Didiza is the only other representative with knowledge of the sector.
Creating a sustainable environment for farming
The announcement of Rabie’s appointment comes as the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change – known as Cop27 – kicked off in Egypt.
South Africa is a party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement, and the presidential climate commission operates under this convention and international agreement.
“No one lives closer to, relies more upon, or is more affected by the climate and our natural environment than our farmers,” said Rabie.
“I look forward to bringing the perspectives and experience of Agri SA and the agricultural sector to the important work currently being performed by the presidential climate commission.”
While climate change poses risks for South Africa, it also presents great opportunities for innovation and homegrown solutions in the agricultural sector and beyond.
According to Rabie, South Africa’s food security in coming years “will depend on our ability to maintain a sustainable environment for farming.
“We, therefore, look forward to working with other sections of the economy and of society to ensure that we make progress towards the goal of creating a resilient and prosperous country for generations to come.”
In addition to his role as legal and policy executive at Agri SA, Rabie is also the organisation’s head of natural resources.
The qualified attorney holds a Master of Laws degree in marine and environmental law from the University of Cape Town. Since joining Agri SA in 2017, he has been instrumental in elevating the importance of the agricultural sector’s vital relationship with, and reliance on, the natural environment.
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