Issued by: Ministry of Agriculture
OPENING ADDRESS BY THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE,
Chairperson, representatives of the SADC-countries, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen.
That I am here today, representing a democratic and non-racial South Africa under the leadership of President Nelson Rolihlahia Mandela, is in itself a break from the past.
We have emerged from the past of aggression, division and apartheid in which incarceration was not the only form of repression we became accustomed to, but also from the past in which we were rendered landless, with agriculture becoming a white man's domain.
Today - as a united nation - we can proudly speak of consolidation, reconstruction and development of which broadening access to agriculture to the previously disadvantaged sector of our population, is part.
We have had a clear policy shift which places emphasis on the role of the agricultural sector to improving household food security, contributing massively towards economic growth and employment creation.
Noting the importance of the sector in our region, certain pillars are important.
These include the building of our human resources, improving on our technology and developing physical infrastructure.
The role of research in the development of new varieties and improving traditional crops is essential.
It is in recognising this fact that I agreed to participate in this workshop.
I wish, chairperson, to congratulate the people and their institutions who have contributed time and resources into the development of sorghum and pearl millit research.
As people in the agricultural sector from the region, we need to take cognisance of the regional and international trends with regard to agricultural development and how we can utilise it.
We also have to reflect on how we can optimise the use of our regional institutions to build our own capacities.
Chairperson, this workshop comes at a crucial time in our region when we have been experiencing unfavourable climatic conditions.
Unfortunately we are in a drought region and have to prepare ourselves to cope with such conditions.
In developing coping strategies I suggest we relook at our own comparative advantages as individual countries agriculturally.
We will also have to develop drought resistant crops and livestock to cope with our climate, such as sorghum and nguni cattle.
Sorghum is a nutritious crop that can survive and grow under our harsh climatic conditions. For many centuries, sorghum and pearl millet was 'the staple food for millions of African people. During colonisation, sorghum was largely replaced by maze - a foreign crop.
Lack of attention to sorghum has been largely due to lack of market development and research.
Ladies and gentlemen, we meet here today as members of the SADC.
We meet when the Southern Africa Customs Union negotiations are in progress on making the SADC a more accessible market.
In conclusion, chairperson, constant dialogue on this issue is critical.
Development of domestic and international markets is vital to motivate our producers/farmers to produce indegenous crops.
Health and nutrition research promotion is also necessary to improve consumption.
Sharing of resources, finance, will boost the Southern African economy and create employment, eventually bringing to an end the migrant labour system across the border.
I believe this is the cornerstone of our development.
In this Year of Poverty Alleviation, let us make our economies stronger than before and declare war on hunger.
I thank you.
Enquiries: BRIAN SOKUTO (Deputy Ministry Spokesman) Telephone: (011) 614-53-68 (home) (09263) 4-729771 (Sheraton Hotel, Harare)