Traditional leaders, local government, and the private sector agree that working closely together will ensure the acceleration of agriculture and rural development in KwaZulu-Natal.
The key to unlocking investment and reviving rural development in the province is collaboration. This was the takeaway at the launch of the KwaZulu-Natal Centre for Rural Development’s (KZN CRD’s) first rural development programme.
The focus of the event was the acceleration of rural development following a request from the KwaZulu-Natal House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders that the new AmaZulu king Misuzulu kaZwelithini fast-track the development of rural areas.
Speaking at the launch hosted in Southbroom, AgriSETA chief executive Dr Innocent Sirovha announced his organisation is currently investing R123 million in agriculture projects meant to uplift rural people.
KZN CRD is in partnership with AgriSETA to develop 50 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through capacity-building training. These businesses are located in Ray Nkonyeni and Umzumbe local municipalities.
“We are ready to serve. Much is still to come for rural development in KwaZulu-Natal. Our commitment stands, and we will also come down to meet the leadership of the province,” Sirovha said.
He said their partnership with KZN CRD has enabled them to reach far-flung areas and urged communities in KwaZulu-Natal to get involved in agriculture.
Skills development required
The centre’s president, Gabby Malope told Food For Mzansi that their mission is to enhance SMEs through agricultural learning.
“We want to create jobs in the sector since we are facilitators of an inclusive economy with our core programmes focused on agriculture training, business and community development.
“We want to improve the quality of life of rural households through agriculture and have people being able to feed themselves,” she said.
KZN CRD is looking for partnerships that will develop rural areas in the provinces.
Taking people out of poverty
“South Africa is a centre for rural development, we want all the stakeholders to gather around the table and [strategise] how to take our people out of poverty through agriculture,” she added.
Chairperson of the KwaZulu-Natal House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders, Inkosi Shinga, urged all spheres of government to work together to ensure that agri-development initiatives reach the right people.
“The province is rich with agriculture, we need to feed our people and feed other provinces as well. As traditional leaders, we are ready to avail the land for agricultural purposes, and we are ready to partner with any organisation that puts the interest of our people at heart.
“We have everything in the province, however, what we are lacking is skills development. That is why having AgriSETA on board is very critical. We have the land, we just need our people to be given skills and work the land to feed themselves,” Shinga said.
The land is there…
The mayor of Greater Kokstad municipality, Lwanda Madikizela, said the local government is ready to avail the land for agricultural purposes.
“It is our role as a government that when we say people shall govern, they must have land in order for them to be able to grow. For us to do so, we must invest in agriculture,” Madikizela said.
“Agriculture is one of those [key] sectors that all municipalities should focus on, especially us here in KwaZulu-Natal,” he said.
A meeting between AgriSETA, the newly appointed agriculture MEC in KwaZulu-Natal Super Zuma, and Amazulu king Masizulu Sinqobile kaZwelithini, is on the cards.
According to Sirovha, the meeting will iron out plans to revive agriculture in the province through investing in SMEs.
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