February 1996
5.1 Plant and quality control
5.2 The renegotiations of the Southern African Customs
Union Agreement (SACUA)
5.3 The World Trade Organisation (WTO)
5.4 United Nations Conference on Trade and Development IX
(UNCTAD)
5.5 The Southern African Development Community (SADC)
5.6 The Indian Ocean Rim Initiative (IORI)
5.7 Negotiations with the European Union (KU)
5.8 SA-US Binational Committee
5.9 The Cairns Group
8.1 Co-operatives
8.2 Marketing
8.3 The Marketing of Agricultural Products Bill, 1995
8.4 Development of free market instruments
9.1 Agricultural financing by the Agricultural Credit
Board
9.2 Assistance to the smallholder sector
12.1 Vaccines
12.2 Importation of fresh meat
12.3 Export of animals and animal products
12.4 Identification networks
The contribution of agriculture to the national economy during the first nine months of 1995 was only 4,3 %. This represents a decrease compared with the same period in 1994 when the contribution was 5,2 %. The main reason for this decrease is a much smaller maize crop because of the drought in certain parts of the country and very late summer rains in other parts. The maize crop dropped from 12 million tons the previous season to only 4,2 million tons for 1995.
During the past three months good rains have fallen and, provided these favourable conditions continue, a much better crop of summer grain products, especially maize, can be expected.
The wheat crop is expected to be 2,18 million tons, which represents an increase of about 21 % on the previous season. This is almost equal to the average consumption figure of 2,2 million tons per year.
Information on production volumes and prices is now being made available on provincial basis and the new brochures containing this information are expected to be available to the public during the first quarter of 1996.
During the year from July 1994 to June 1995 farmers received on average 8,4 % more for their produce than the average amount spent on farming inputs. This is a positive change because in the previous year they spent 2 % more than the average amount received for their products.
The volume (tonnage) of fruit and vegetables sold on the major fresh produce markets for the first nine months of 1995 remained almost unchanged compared with the previous year. However, the prices consumers had to pay for these products increased by almost 13 %.
Information on two new markets, namely Pietersburg and Nelspruit, was added to the information being kept by the Directorate Agricultural Statistics. Anybody interested in more specific information can approach the Directorate directly.
At top management level the restructuring of the National Department of Agriculture was completed with the appointment of two deputy directors-general, six chief directors and 18 directors. Seven people from previously disadvantaged groups and four women were appointed to ensure better representation in terms of race and gender. The NDA is in the process of refining the organisational structures under the level of Director.
At provincial level, the relevant functions and 7,000 posts with personnel and enabling means were transferred to the nine provincial departments.
At legislative level, the Agricultural Credit Act, which was formerly only applicable to the white commercial farming community, was amended to be applicable to the whole territory of the RSA and all the population groups. A number of the 26 acts administered by the Department are under review with the objects of provincialisation and rationalisation. Some are already in the pipeline for this year's parliamentary session.
Immediately after the Ministers and MECs responsible for agriculture were announced, the National Department of Agriculture (NDA) and the Provincial Departments of Agriculture formed the Intergovernmental Forum on Agriculture (IFA).
Three levels of Committees and Working Groups were identified of which the first two levels are already functioning well. They are the Intergovernmental Forum on Agriculture (IFA) and the Intergovernmental Technical Committee on Agriculture (ITCA). On the third level, some of the working groups are already functioning while others still have to be established.
The IFA structure developed a White Paper for Agriculture by means of an inclusive and transparent process which included political role players and farmers at grass roots level. The White Paper was tabled in Parliament during the 1995 session. The vision for agriculture as formulated in the White Paper is as follows: A highly efficient and economically viable market-directed farming sector, characterised by various farm sizes, which will be seen as the economic and social pivot of rural South Africa and which will influence the rest of the economy and society. The mission of the NDA to support this vision is "to ensure equitable access to agriculture and promote the contribution of agriculture to the development of all communities, society at large and the national economy, in order to enhance income, food security, employment and quality of life in a sustainable manner".
The strategies or policy areas to support the vision and mission are agricultural production, marketing, sustainable utilisation of natural resources, agricultural financing, institutional infrastructure, information and agricultural technology, research, extension and training. To implement the policy, a process known as Broadening Access to Agriculture Thrust (BATAT) was initiated.
The objectives of development in agriculture include broadening access for people previously disadvantaged in the sector. The NDA has set itself a goal of creating an enabling environment for commercial agriculture as well as for the attainment of food security at national and household level.
The NDA has tentatively allocated R 1 million towards a programme called "Developing Farmers Organisations". Substantial consultation took place with the farmers through the BATAT process where some farmers were given the opportunity to travel and discuss the benefits of farmers' organisations with their counterparts in other countries (Indonesia, Chile, Kenya, Zambia and Zimbabwe).
Two BATAT task groups are active: the groups on Human Resource Development and on Agricultural Resource Conservation. The Human Resource Development group has already made recommendations on agricultural training which can be implemented after approval by ITCA.
Training programmes are carried out in close collaboration with the provinces. In the past year one person successfully completed a Cochran study programme in the USA, 8 attended specialised courses in the Republic of China, one attended a training-working session at the World Bank, and more than 1 000 small-scale vegetable farmers received applicable training.
The Provinces identified the necessity to build and strengthen the institutional capacity of the farmers per set The RDP moved that R7,123 million of overseas donor agency (ODA) funds can be accessed for this purpose.
The need for and direction of the reorientation of extension services towards a more holistic approach to agricultural delivery systems are well underway. The Northern Province received R2 million to retrain their extension officers. For the Free State, Western Cape and Northern Cape, the RDP moved that R8,373 million of ODA funding can be utilised for skills training of farm workers, previously disadvantaged farmers, emerging small-farmers and bursaries to attend agricultural colleges.
The NDA has in the past two years experienced a dramatic surge in requests for collaboration in the field of agriculture from foreign governments. It has also actively explored such areas with other governments and international institutions and in multilateral organisations such as the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the World Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The NDA has become fully involved in the relevant activities of the food, agriculture and natural resources sector of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
South Africa's leading regional role in the field of research and development capacity was recognised on our election to the Council and the Finance Committee of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation. It is also reflected in the country's prominent role in the SADC. South Africa has already proudly hosted an SADC Agricultural Ministers' meeting.
The Cabinet has approved South Africa's membership of the International Fund for Agricultural Development. Membership of the FAO and IFAD gives us access to expertise and funds which enhance our ability to broaden access to agriculture in South Africa and to participate in tendering for development contracts and other services in the region.
South Africa has been requested to host several international conferences as a consequence of the increasing number of organisations of which the country is a member. In collaboration with the Secretariats of the SADC, FAO and IFAD, a conference to address the problems of rural poverty will be held in Cape Town from 19 to 22 February 1996. The All African Conference on Animal Agriculture will be held in Pretoria from 1 to 4 April 1996. The SPGRC (SADC Plant Genetic Resource Centre) conference is to be held in Pretoria in May 1996.
South Africa's active and full involvement with initiatives such as the renegotiation of the Southern African Customs Union, negotiating a new long term trade and co-operation agreement with the European Union, the RSA-USA Binational Commission, and the new structures in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) places us in a good position to ensure that not only trade, but also development is addressed in our international relations.
The organised settling of South African farmers in other African countries will gain momentum in 1996. These knowledgeable entrepreneurs can substantially contribute to increased food production, creation of employment, development of technology and improvement of bilateral trade in the host countries.
Standards for a wide range of fresh and processed products have been amended to comply with accepted international standards to ensure that its quality norms and standards comply with those of Codex Alimentarius and supportive the WTO Agreements concluded under GATT.
5.2 THE RENEGOTIATIONS OF THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN CUSTOMS UNION AGREEMENT (SACUA)
The SACUA consists of Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Swaziland and South Africa. The current round of renegotiations was launched in November 1994 to "democratise" the Union. A Customs Union Task Team (CUTT) was established to act as the renegotiating body. The NDA forms an integral part of the South African delegation and is primarily involved in the Working Group on Agricultural Policy.
The NDA has consulted with the South African farming community to establish a mandate to negotiate. The negotiations are done in accordance with the GATT principles and rules which South Africa accepted in Marrakesh. The current outlook is that the Customs Union will be more transparent in its decision-making process, and a secretariat is envisaged to provide administrative support for the Customs Union. The Customs Union formula will change, but no definite formula has been agreed on yet.
The current renegotiations of the Customs Union are closely linked to South Africans new membership of the SADC.
5.3 THE WORLD TRADE ORGANISATION (WTO)
Over the years the Department of Agriculture has had a representative stationed at the South African Mission to the United Nations (UN) in Geneva to deal with matters relating to GATT. When the Uruguay Round of negotiations wound down and the agricultural work load in Geneva decreased, the Department transferred the GATT responsibility back to Pretoria to assist in preparing the agricultural industry for the implications of the Uruguay Round.
One of the products of the Uruguay Round is the World Trade Organisation with permanent Committees for Agriculture and for Sanitary and Phytosanitary Matters. Both these committees, as well as the International Agreements on Dairy and Bovine Matters, deal with issues directly related to the responsibilities of the NDA.
Because of the growing importance of WTO activities for South Africa, the Department decided to reopen its representation in Geneva in 1996. Mr P.J.A. Swart will leave for Geneva in March 1996.
5.4 UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT IX (UNCTAD)
The next round of meetings of UNCTAD will be held in South Africa during April 1996. The NDA has been actively involved in workshops and preparation meetings for UNCTAD IX and will be involved in the planning of the forthcoming conference. South Africa and specifically the Department of Agriculture severed ties with UNCTAD during the sanction period. It will be an important objective to strengthen ties between the Department and UN institutions.
5.5 THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY (SADC)
South Africa became a member of the SADC in 1994 and was given the responsibility of finance and investment. The Department of Agriculture has been actively involved in the work of the SADC, specifically technical matters such as resource conservation, food security and sanitary and phytosanitary standards in the region. The responsibility to co-ordinate the Department's activities in the SADC lies with the Directorate: Regional and International Relations.
Bilateral trade between South Africa and its neighbours has shown a steady increase with a general positive agricultural trade balance in the SADC region. South Africa is promoted as the "instrument of growth" for Southern Africa, therefore its responsibility for finance and investment in the SADC region. This image of South Africa will lead to greater responsibility and an increase in areas of mutual co-operation.
The SADC Trade Protocol is currently being debated and finalised. A new trade protocol will directly affect agricultural trade. Trade based on the principle of comparative and competitive advantage will see a gradual shift in the production patterns in South Africa. This will form an integral part of "regional food security" rather than "national food security".
5.6 THE INDIAN OCEAN RIM INITIATIVE (IORI)
The Indian Ocean Rim Initiative was proposed by President Mandela and Deputy President De Klerk during their respective official visits to India and Australia. The Initiative is directed by seven countries, namely Australia, India, Kenya, Mauritius, Oman, South Africa and Singapore.
Objectives of the IORI are:
A working group comprising of representatives of the seven countries supported by national focal points was established to formulate a plan of action. The Department of Agriculture is part of the National IORI Working Group. The IORI is still in a planning phase and the Department will become more involved when functional issues, such as trade and agriculture, are discussed.
5.7 NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE EUROPEAN UNION (KU)
The Council of the European Union approved a negotiating mandate on 12 June 1995. This mandate enables the EU to enter into formal negotiations with South Africa on a long-term trade and co-operation agreement.
The negotiating mandate provides for South Africa's qualified membership of the Lomé Convention, subject to approval by the appropriate EU/African Caribbean Pacific (ACP) assemblies; and a separate bilateral agreement, which will cover all economic and trade relations (to the extent that they are not addressed by South Africa's membership of Lomé).
It is important to conclude the bilateral agreement in tandem with the notification of the so-called Lomé IV bis agreement which would be ratified in the spring of 1996 for coming into force early in 1997. The latter agreement, which was the result of negotiations between the EU and the 70 ACP member countries, contains a so-called "hook"-clause allowing South Africa's qualified membership into Lomé, should a bilateral agreement covering the trade, economic and other areas have been negotiated prior to the commencement of the Lomé IV bis agreement early in 1 997.
5.8 SA-US BINATIONAL COMMITTEE
A Committee on Agriculture was established under the US-South African Binational Commission. The purpose of the Committee is to facilitate and encourage co-operation on matters relating to agriculture.
It was agreed that recognition of the social and economic role of agriculture in rural development should receive the necessary attention in the Terms of Reference of the Committee. Critical issues such as training and research, regulation and safety for products, natural resource conservation and markets for small farmers products will be addressed specifically.
A delegation from the NDA attended the 1 5th Ministerial Meeting of the Cairns Group of countries, held in Manila in May 1995. It became evident that South Africa would be welcomed as a member of the Group if it should apply for membership. A Departmental meeting between Agriculture, Foreign Affairs and Trade and Industry will be convened early in 1996 to discuss South Africa's relationship with the Cairns Group. The Group consists of Australia and New Zealand, countries in South America, Fiji, Hungary, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand. The Group was formed in August 1986 to ensure that the agricultural tariffication process would be given a high priority during the Uruguay Round. It sees its future role as a monitoring body to ensure that WTO members keep their agricultural GATT commitments.
Signatories to the Final Act of the Multilateral Trade Negotiations (Marrakesh Agreement) are obliged to replace non tariff measures, such as quantitative import control, with tariff measures. The aim of tariff measures is to bring agricultural trade in line with the GATT principle of a "fair and market-oriented agricultural system".
South Africa started its tariffication process as part of deregulation, which occurred prior to the signing of the Marrakesh Agreement. Tariff protection is recommended mainly in accordance with the guideline that the customs duty should result in production and consumption remaining basically the same as under import control.
The Board on Tariffs and Trade is preparing a Green Paper with regard to an agricultural tariff policy. All interested parties, including the Department of Agriculture and the National Marketing Council, will contribute to the Paper to ensure a comprehensive and complete document.
The NDA contracted the University of Pretoria to conduct a study to assist the Department in determining the effect and impact of tariffication on the agricultural sector. The results of this study, and other available information, will be considered and incorporated into the agricultural tariff policy currently being formulated.
A major concern among producers is that the volumes of certain imported agricultural products may have increased since the introduction of tariffication. This may have a negative impact on the various industries concerned. The study undertaken by the University of Pretoria will determine whether this claim can be substantiated or not. If so, appropriate action will be taken regarding the formulation of measures to counter these increased import volumes, which will be included in the tariff policy.
South Africa is a member of three bilateral trade agreements in Africa of which the agreement with Zimbabwe, in terms of trade, is the most important. The Zimbabwe agreement will be renegotiated after the renegotiations of the SACUA have been finalised. In future this agreement will either disappear because of SADC trade initiatives towards a more integrated trade regime in Southern Africa or it might live on as an agreement between the Customs Union and Zimbabwe. This is in response to the idea that future bilateral trade agreements must be between the SACU and second parties.
Co-operatives, being instrumental in helping people take control of their own destiny by taking responsibility for their own development, will play a crucial role in the development of rural agricultural communities.
Such development can be achieved by way of services being rendered by the well-developed co-operatives or by way of establishing own co-operatives but on an economically viable basis only. The office of the Registrar of Co-operatives is in the process of restructuring in order to be able to fulfil its role regarding the promotion and development of co-operatives in developing communities. This developmental role will be carried out by the Registrar of Co-operatives either directly or by way of facilitating consultative and training programmes.
Over the years there has been much direct and indirect intervention in the marketing of agricultural products. Varying degrees of control and regulation in respect of the movement, pricing, quality standards, selling and supply of agricultural products were introduced under the Marketing Act. Government also used the Act as an instrument to administer subsidies.
The period since the early 1980s has, however, seen a substantial shift in policy. The trend towards a more liberated economy and greater exposure to market forces in the rest of the world demanded change-- also in South Africa. Most of the control boards have been involved in various deregulation exercises and the rigorous control and intervention is in most cases becoming part of history. In South Africa, the sanction era and the isolation accompanying it probably delayed the deregulation process in respect of statutory marketing.
The industry itself has made considerable progress with the deregulation of agricultural marketing, e.g.:
The control boards currently fulfil mainly a supportive role such as in research and product development and the collection and dissemination of market information. The control boards are also actively involved in the upliftment of the emerging farmers, either directly through assistance and extension services to farmers or indirectly through research and the dissemination of information.
8.3 THE MARKETING OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS BILL, 1995
Following the international trends to liberalise agricultural markets, as well as internal pressures to remove the market discrepancies resulting from the application of the Marketing Act, a number of committees were appointed to investigate agricultural marketing in South Africa culminating in the appointment of the Agricultural Marketing Policy Evaluation Committee (AMPEC). Its task was to evaluate existing agricultural marketing policies in South Africa and to determine guidelines for future policy measures. The AMPEC reports formed the basis of the Agricultural Marketing Bill, which has been approved by Cabinet, and is due for submission to Parliament in 1996.
This Bill provides for enabling and not compulsory legislation and for minimum intervention by the government in agricultural marketing matters. In cases where such intervention is required by directly affected parties, it will, inter alia, have to be transparent and all the directly affected groups in the transaction chain, such as the producers, including small and large scale farmers, the agriculture related trade and industry and the consumers will have to be consulted to confirm their support of any proposed intervention in agricultural marketing matters.
The Bill further provides for representation by these directly affected groups on the proposed new National Agricultural Marketing Council as well as on the proposed new Statutory Marketing Authorities and for the democratic election by the parties of their representatives on these bodies.
The main implications arising from the proposed new agricultural marketing environment in South Africa are that
8.4 DEVELOPMENT OF FREE MARKET INSTRUMENTS
In line with the world-wide move away from regulation and intervention in agricultural markets towards the provision of recognised free-market instruments to achieve the objective of market stability, the South African Futures Exchange (SAFEX) established the Agricultural Markets Division. The Agri-Marketing Exchange (AMEX) came into operation at the beginning of 1995. These moves were supported by the NDA, organised agriculture and the trade as they are in line with the objectives of agricultural policy as outlined in the White Paper on Agriculture.
The Agricultural Markets Division of SAFEX started trading on 31 July 1995 with the successful introduction of a chilled beef futures, the first in the world, and forward contracts on grains and oil seeds. This was followed with a cash settled futures contract on potatoes which started trading on 16 October 1995. Futures contracts on both white and yellow maize will begin trading early in 1996 and it is envisaged that futures contracts on other products be introduced during 1996.
AMEX, which is a national electronic auction system, was implemented at the beginning of 1995. The first calf auction was held on 8 May 1995 while the first maize auction took place on 16 August 1995. Agricultural products marketed on AMEX include calves, sheep carcasses, white and yellow maize, sunflower seed and feed grade wheat. Sheep, beef, and pork carcasses, cattle and sorghum will follow.
During the last season, R20 million were made available for production loans for previously disadvantaged farmers. This year production loans have been separated from grants for project assistance. For 1995/96, R150 million is available for loans through financial intermediaries and up to R62 million for grants to supply infrastructural and other farming related needs.
9.1 AGRICULTURAL FINANCING BY THE AGRICULTURAL CREDIT BOARD
The Agricultural Credit Act forms the basis for action by the Agricultural Credit Board. Discretion for the norm and extent of assistance to agriculture is vested largely in the Minister, and therefore the Board.
The Board's assistance programme makes provision for communal farmers and farmers in the transitional stage from subsistence to beginner farmers, small farmers, part-time and commercial farmers.
Interest rates on loans granted in terms of the Agricultural Credit Act 1966 (Act No. 28 of 1966) will, under certain circumstances, be adjusted upwards to 14 % per annum. This should be seen in the context of a policy shift in the Department of Agriculture to introduce market related interest rates in accordance with the White Paper.
9.2 ASSISTANCE TO THE SMALLHOLDER SECTOR
State assisted scheme to facilitate production loans to small-farmers
The Department of Agriculture made available R150 million in credit for beginner and small-farmers to be disbursed to financial intermediaries. These intermediaries will administer production loans to beginner and small-farmers at an interest rate of 14 % for lending to these farmers, also at 14 %. The NDA will bear the operational costs of these intermediaries, including transaction costs and provisioning at a fee of 12 %. This scheme may be revised depending on results achieved. It is envisaged that financing under this scheme will terminate on 31 August 1998.
Special projects: Grant assistance for small-farming development
An amount of R62 million has been withdrawn from the Agricultural Credit Account and paid into the National Revenue Fund to finance grant assistance to emerging and small food producers to develop and/ or improve their production efficiency.
A preliminary maximum amount of R6 million per province will be allocated for these projects. Should provinces not fully utilise it, the balances can be reallocated at a later stage to other provinces according to merit.
Drought assistance to small-farmers
An amount of R199,5 million was allocated to the NDA for drought assistance to predominantly beginner and small-farmers. These funds will be transferred to provinces for implementing various drought assistance programmes.
Purchasing of land
Under certain conditions, the Agricultural Credit Board finances the purchasing of land. This is an important way of establishing beginner farmers. It is also a method to increase the size of a small unit, thereby making it more viable.
Apart from loans for means of production, tractors and farm implements, the biggest demand is for land purchases. The reason for the inability to provide loans is, amongst others, inadequate own capital of applicants and high market value of agricultural land. The beginner and small-farmer find it difficult to bridge the gap between market value and the loan value that the Credit Board is prepared to grant. The present measures of the Credit Board is therefore not enough to address this problem effectively. Extensive research has indicated that if the State wants to settle farmers in this manner and solve this problem, the State's total involvement in the purchasing of land for beginner and small-farmers, must be reviewed. This can be done using the following measures:
In those cases where agricultural land is still in the hands of the State, the problem of bridging the gap between market and loan value is far less problematic. This type of land is sold at loan value or productive value, but normally such land must be made "farmable". This means that the farm must be in such a state of development that it is possible for the farmer to start farming to a certain extent with the State providing the basic infrastructures such as border fences, stock watering points, etc. Most of the applicants do not possess the basic capital requirements to develop this type of land.
The Directorate: Programme Planning will facilitate the development of Food Security Policy in collaboration with other directorates and departments as well as all other stakeholders. Food security can only be achieved through national and provincial government policies which follow a multi-disciplinary approach. The level to which food security is being achieved is influenced by a variety of government policies.
Food security means access by all people at all times to enough food for an active and healthy life. This implies ensuring that there are adequate food supplies available through domestic production or imports, and ensuring that households whose members suffer from malnutrition and/or hunger can acquire food, either because they produce it themselves or because they have the income to acquire it.
On the supply side, food security considerations indicate the need to redress the biases against resource-poor farmers (including women farmers) in access to credit, extension, research and development. The Broadening of Access to Agriculture Thrust (BATAT) programme needs to redress these biases through the following arms of focus: (a) Financial services; (b) Technology development; (c) Delivery systems; and (d) Marketing. On the demand side, even if food supply improves, the distribution of income and wealth and regional concentration of production may leave large segments of society without the purchasing power to buy enough staple food. The Reconstruction and Development Programme will need to contribute greatly to achieve improvement of wealth which is needed to achieve food security, through a variety of programmes targeted at economic growth and development.
Natural hazards which often lead to agriculture related disasters in South Africa include droughts, floods, veld fires, wind storms and hail. Of these, floods and droughts cause the major natural disasters with severe consequences concerning loss of life, damage to the resources and systems on which communities depend and the socio-economic welfare of affected communities.
South Africa experienced an increasing frequency of natural disasters during the past century. This indicates the need to develop a comprehensive multidisciplinary approach to disaster management. To be effective, this comprehensive approach needs to cover all aspects of the disaster management continuum which includes prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery and development.
Early warning systems (EWS) are information systems established to monitor a population's access to food and water in order to provide timely warning of impending crises and to elicit the appropriate response. Access to food in this case includes accessibility, availability and affordability of food by the population.
Early warning systems are essential both for disaster management and food security. With regard to disaster management, early warning would serve the purpose of making the people less vulnerable to disasters. This is because early warning systems entail proactive measures rather than a reactive approach.
On food security, early warning systems also promote proactive approaches by keeping data of food security indicators.
It is anticipated that a central co-ordinating unit for early warning and for food security will be established in South Africa. This central unit will establish good co-ordination with the various provinces in the Republic.
The office for early warning for the Region of Southern Africa is in Harare, Zimbabwe. Southern African Development Community (SADC) members visited South Africa in September 1995 to promote closer co-operation on early warning.
Drought early warning systems in South Africa regarding agricultural conditions do exist to the following extent:
Shortfalls do exist especially in the methodology of surveys on ground level to provide information on household food security. This matter has to be addressed urgently. With approximately one million household food producers involved, affecting about five million people in the rural areas, an accurate assessment of household food security is of primary importance.
South Africa is an active member of an international network of state veterinary services. Through these international contracts we receive regular reports on the disease status of other countries. Disease intelligence reports are received from the Office International des Epizooties (OIE), and by direct contact with the veterinary services in the exporting countries.
Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP) has the capacity and the technology to produce veterinary vaccines for the whole Africa. OBP is unique in the world in the sense that they are the sole or main producer of at least 15 vaccines for African animal diseases. OBP provides large quantities of vaccines to fight major outbreaks of CBPP (lung-sickness in cattle), lumpy-skin disease, Rift valley fever, horse sickness, anthrax etc. OBP will also play a major role in Tanzania to provide vaccine to combat the spreading of CBPP in Eastern Africa. This will also help to prevent the spreading to Southern Africa.
12.2 IMPORTATION OF FRESH MEAT
The Directorate of Veterinary Health had to cope with an unexpected increase in applications for the importation of fresh meat. This resulted in the NDA being severely criticised by organised agriculture for "allowing" the importation of red meat and poultry meat into the country with allegations of lack of control and lowering of hygiene control standards. The Department was also pressurised by potential importers and cold storage owners to allow the importation of meat in the breakbulk format which further augmented the pressure on officials to maintain the standard health control procedures at the ports of entry. This resulted in a ban being placed on the importation of poultry meat in breakbulk for veterinary health reasons at the end of 1995, although additional cold storage facilities were erected at port cities to cope with the increased demand.
12.3 EXPORT OF ANIMALS AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS
The Directorate of Animal Health launched several initiatives to gain access to the export market for South African animals and animal products. The most important being negotiations with the EU to establish sanitary protocols to enable the export of horses and ostrich products and a submission to the OIE to regionalise South Africa for freedom from foot-and-mouth disease to facilitate trade from areas previously restricted in terms of international sanitary requirements.
During 1996/97 a major effort will be launched in an attempt to decrease the incidence of bovine tuberculosis and bovine brucellosis in developed and developing farming communities.
The Sub-directorate Livestock Improvement and Brands has taken the initiative to promote a regional livestock identification network. Countries use compatible computerised identification programmes along with a country identification mark to monitor stock movement more effectively and to facilitate cross-referencing in stock theft cases. Copies of the Department's stock identification programme have been given to Lesotho, Botswana, Namibia, Swaziland, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
The Sub-directorate has assisted in facilitating the establishment of a network aimed at promoting and marketing Southern Africa's indigenous livestock resources. This ties up with the UN Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) and the responsibilities of signatories to conserve domestic animal biodiversity. The most effective form of conservation is the economical and sustainable use of the resource. This creates the incentive to conserve.
The import and export policy for livestock is currently under revision as part of the Livestock Improvement Amendment Bill. Importation of new breeds should be subject to biological impact studies as part of the CBD. Exports of genetic material should carry a breed society guarantee. Commercial producers should be allowed to import genetic material.
The White Paper on Agriculture has highlighted several key issues relating to the sustainable utilisation of natural agricultural resources. One such issue is that government is responsible for the provision of assistance and law enforcement for the appropriate management of these resources. The promotion of an all-inclusive environmental ethic, awareness, accountability and custodianship for the country's natural agricultural resources needs immediate attention in order to safeguard the sustainability of these resources and household and national food security.
The provision of information to all those in the agricultural sector is one way of maintaining transparency and inclusiveness while policy is being evaluated and developed. The NDA provides appropriate information on production methods and possibilities, on market opportunities, and on agro-meteorological conditions to emerging and commercial farmers using a wide range of media.
To extend the communication network a television programme Farmer's Indaba was initiated to address the needs of the emerging farmer. The format of this programme has been changed to accommodate the SABC's new policy of servicing specific language groups and regions. The new language medium of the programme is Sotho.
Alternative communication methods such as information packs" including audio tapes and written material to meet the information needs of all farmers are being planned. The first booklets in the Look 'n do series aimed at emerging farmers appeared in English, Afrikaans and South Sotho.
The generally consultative approach taken by the Department and its moral and material support of various community activities relating to agriculture such as Peace Gardens, contribute to peace and stability. By its actions and generally efficient, objective performance, the Department is gaining confidence among both the developing and established farming communities as well as with the provincial authorities.