Title: SA: D Peters: Launch of the provincial Youth in Agriculture and Rural Development (YARD)

Members of the Executive Council
Members of the Provincial Legislature
Mayors, Speakers and Councillors
Members of the Youth Commission
Members of the Provincial National African Federated Chamber of Commerce (NAFCOC) Youth Chamber
Members and leaders of Political Parties
Heads of Departments
Government officials
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
Comrades and friends

We are gathered here today to officially launch one of the important institution and structure in the Northern Cape province called Youth in Agriculture and Rural Development (YARD). This launch takes place during the June month especially a few days after we celebrated and remembered the heroes and heroines of the June 1976 uprising. The youth of 1976 unreservedly dedicated their lives and energy during the 1976 struggle played a critical role in the liberation of the majority of the people of South Africa and subsequently set the stage for the future development of youth and South Africans at large. It is therefore befitting and appropriate that I should call upon all the youth here today, to dedicate today's event to the youth of the 1976 uprising. It is because of the contribution of the youth in our country, that today we have specific institutions (such as the Youth Commission, Umsombovu, National African Federation Chamber of Commerce (NAFCOC) youth chamber, etc) that implements various youth development programmes and by the same token engages state and private institutions on issues related to the youth.

It is in deed heartening that at last the agricultural sector and in particular the Department of Agriculture has come on board with the establishment of a youth institutions that will champion and focus on the youth issues within the sector at national, provincial and local level. We all agree and acknowledge that the future of our country and generation will heavily depend on the adequate and appropriate development of our youth in all aspects and taking into consideration the history of agriculture in our country, we need to amass all measures and strategies to achieve this vision.

Ladies and gentlemen, comrades and friends, allow me to highlight a few aspects related to the purpose of YARD and to reflect on a few challenges and opportunities for our youth in the agricultural sector.

Youth in Agriculture and Rural Development (YARD) is a youth structure which was established nationally following on a national conference and subsequently endorsed by the government to function as of 30 November 2007. The institution is expected among others to:
* Promote and improve the active participation of youth in the agricultural sector
* Understand and respond to the youth's needs by implementing appropriate programmes, policies and services
* Promote and develop the skills of youth as leaders at all levels in agriculture and rural development
* Promote economic equality for the youth through Agricultural Black Economic Empowerment (AgriBEE) and other programmes and
* Advocate for the youth's equal participation and representation in decision making in the agriculture and rural development sector.

The provincial youth structure is expected to operate within the ambit of the YARD constitution with establishment of district and branch committees. I am pleased to announce that the Department of Agriculture and Land Reform has since 2007, mobilised the youth in all districts of our province to participate in the establishment and purpose of YARD.

Ladies and gentlemen, our country and in particular the agricultural sector is currently experiencing several challenges that include:

* Shortage of scarce skills in the sector (Engineers, Veterinarians, Agricultural Economists, etc). The department continuously recruits people originating outside the province and with competition with the private sector; we struggle to retain such expertise in the province.
* Poverty and unemployment. Some of the youth after completing their matric, are jobless and thus still dependant on their parents and social grants.
* Increased food prices - the recent fuel increases has subsequently led to high food prices with the rural communities struggling to purchase the basic food requirements and this is a threat on their constitutional rights.
* Slow pace of land reform and poor development - very few black farmers and in particular the youth, have acquired land and where land has been availed to the youth, development is slow or the project has collapsed.

With agriculture being one of the most important sectors in the Northern Cape, YARD must play a pivotal role in ensuring that there is an increased participation of youth in various agricultural development initiatives.

The development of agriculture has a over a number of years, implemented a number of programmes and projects which offer opportunities to the youth, such as:
* Olive project in Jan Kempdorp
* Commercialisation of the Goat (Coat Co-operatives)
* Wine development initiative in Siyanda
* Land care programme through participation in the Junior Land Care projects and creates opportunities for jobs
* Comprehensive agricultural support programme for various agricultural development initiatives
* Livestock Production and Development programme.

However, I must at this stage indicate that while such programmes and projects have been implemented, the participation of the youth is generally not satisfactory (e.g. I'm reliably informed that during the recent livestock improvement initiative advertised by the department during December 2007, the average age of farmers that submitted applications was 55 years).

Another example is the implementation of the agriculture among the youth project through which we had hoped that a number of matriculants would become interested in agriculture and apply for the 30 bursaries advertised annually by the National Department of Agriculture. Unfortunately none of the youth from the province received a bursary through this initiative.

We therefore have to investigate the reasons as to:
* Why are the youth not in interested?
* What is stopping the youth from participating?

YARD as it is being launched today will have to seriously champion the course of the youth and engage the department on youth development while encouraging and motivating the youth in the province to participate and grab opportunities created by the Department.

In conclusion Ladies and gentlemen, I hope that the members and leadership of YARD in the province, will not fold their arms and sit back after the launch, instead they will:
* implement the various programmes and policies in line with the YARD constitution,
* represent the youth of the province with vigour and dignity, and
* strive to achieve the set vision/goals for the benefit of the youth interested in agriculture and rural development in our province and country.

I wish you the best in your endeavours and as the theme of the launch says "Agriculture - A thousand opportunities," let the theme become a reality for the unemployed youth of our province.

I thank you
Le a Leboga
Baie Dankie

Issued by: Office of the Premier, Northern Cape Provincial Government
18 June 2008