Agriculture Budget Speech 2014/15

Speaker
Premier
Ministers
Members
Agricultural role players
Special guests and media

Welcome to the Western Cape Department of Agriculture’s 2014/15 budget speech.

Speaker, Laat my toe om met twee bedankings te begin. Dankie aan Christa vir ondersteuning oor al die jare. Dankie aan die beste kantoorpersoneel in Suid Afrika. Johan Coetzee en sy span is 'n wenspan.

Speaker, this is the fifth and last budget announcement of the current administration. It is a privilege for me to be able to reflect on the period 2009 up to 2014 and to see the progress made during this past term. In line with the current administration, we set ourselves measurable goals and we can now report back on these goals.

Agriculture in the Western Cape faced several challenges during the past five years. It was a period characterised by:

1. Policy uncertainty regarding land reform.
2.  Animal diseases wrecked havoc with several industries since 2009:
   • Rift Valley Fever in our sheep and wool industries in 2010
   • African Horse Sickness outbreak in Mamre in 2010, prohibiting exports which have not yet been resolved, and we are currently investigating new cases in the Porterville, Saron area
   • Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak in 2010, prohibiting all red meat exports from SA until February 2014
   • Avian Influenza outbreak in our ostrich industry leads to a ban on all fresh meat exports, still in place.
3. In the fruit sector, citrus is currently fighting to retain its EU markets due to black spot. We lost our export market for fruit to Thailand due to an administrative error by the National Department of Agriculture.

2009 tot 2014 was 'n periode gekenmerk deur natuurrampe:

• 2009 was die droogte in Eden.
• Februarie 2011 was daar droogte in Eden en die Sentraal Karoo.
• Junie 2011 sien vloede in die Overberg, Wynland en Eden distrikte.
• Augustus 2012 ervaar ons vloede in die Overberg, Wynland en Eden.
• November 2013 sien ons vloede in die Overberg, Wynland en Eden.
• Januarie 2014 sien ons vloede in die Overberg, Wynland en die Sentraal Karoo.

Speaker, aangemelde skade van ongeveer R1.9 biljoen is deur hierdie rampe veroorsaak.

Speaker, ons kan nie oor die periode 2009 tot 2014 reflekteer sonder om om die chaotiese maande in 2012/13 te onthou toe ons platteland letterlik gebrand het tydens onluste nie.

The manner in which senior ANC politicians conducted themselves caused much damage. We, as the Western Cape Government, are still dealing with some of these negative consequences. An example: Sweden, our fourth largest wine export destination, expressed concern about South African wine imports due to the negative international press coverage we received during this period.

Speaker, Dit is 'n bewys van karakter, deursettingsvermoë en talent van die Suid Afrikaanse boere en plaaswerkers dat ons landbousektor ten spyte van al hierdie uitdagings, steeds goed kon presteer.

Dit was vir my 'n voorreg om deur al hierdie uitdagings saam met die mense van landbou te kon werk oor die afgelope vyf jaar. Dit was ten alle tye my en my departement se doel om die sektor en sy mense te dien en om u na die beste van ons vermoë te ondersteun.

Speaker, and because of this passion to serve the industry, the following positive developments took place during the past five years:

• We developed the Commodity Approach for agricultural land reform and development projects.
• We established rural development coordination as a Programme at the Department of Agriculture.
• We established a College Board at Elsenburg.
• We established the Prestige Farm Worker Forum.
• We secured a private sector sponsor for the Farm Worker Competition which is growing in popularity each year.
• Our wine cellar was upgraded, and we are experimenting with exciting new wine cultivars, as well as making very good quality brandy.
• The Western Cape Department of Agriculture receives accolades for female empowerment and is described as the Best Agriculture Research Department in the Country. The Western Cape Department of Agriculture is named as the South African Department with the Best Annual Report for 2011, 2012, and 2013.

Speaker, five years ago the Western Cape Department set itself a number of key targets:

• We wanted to increase agricultural production by 10% over a 10-year period.
• We wanted to maintain or possibly increase our agricultural export profile.
• We wanted a 60% success rate with all our land reform empowerment projects.
• Establish a rural development co-ordination programme.
• Develop and implement a real-time irrigation monitoring system.

Dit is nou vir my 'n plesier om die 2014/15 begroting vir die Wes-Kaapse Departement van Landbou aan u voor te hou. Ons begroting is vanjaar R860 miljoen, op van die vorige begroting van R610 miljoen. Hierdie begroting kyk na die toekoms, maar ons moet ook verslag lewer oor die teikens van die afgelope vyf jaar.

Speaker, hier is dan ons 2014/15 begroting soos opgedeel vir die verskillende programme:

• Volhoubare Hulpbron Bestuur. R233 miljoen. Andre Roux

'n Strategiese uitdaging vir landbou in die toekoms gaan waterbestuur wees. Ons gaan daarop fokus om meer produkte met minder water te produseer. My departement sal dus voortgaan met die implementering van FruitLook, 'n web-gebasseerde tegnologie wat aan produsente data verskaf oor hul besproeiingsbestuur.

Landcare projekte ter waarde van R4 miljoen sal werk skep van 25 000 man dae, en water bespaar, deur indringerplante van ons rivieroewers te verwyder.

Landcare sal ook 6 000 skoliere bewus maak van ons natuurlike omgewing en die belangrikheid van die bewaring daarvan deur kampe aan te bied.

Speaker, die die ongekende hoeveelheid natuurrampe wat ons die afgelope tyd ervaar het sê vir ons dat die staat sy benadering tot rampe sal moet heroorweeg. Ons as regering sal meer doelgerig en vinniger moet reageer.

Die spekboom wat u elkeen vandag ontvang is 'n simboliese gebaar om ons daaraan bewus te maak dat elke individu 'n verantwoordelikheid het teenoor die natuurlike omgewing. Maar ook dat elke individu 'n verskil kan maak. Deur hierdie boompie te versorg gaan u help om koolstofdioksied uit ons atmosfeer te absorbeer en sodoende verklein u voetspoor op die omgewing.

Speaker, Wes-Kaapse boere, tesame met ons regering, het daarin geslaag om in vennootskap met Transnet aan te gaan en om droogtehulp aan die Noord Kaap en Noord Wes provinsies te lewer. Skenkings van 2 300 ton is bewillig deur ons boere. Hierdie skenkings verlig nie die totale nood nie, maar dit wys wat gedoen kan word indien verskillende entiteite saamwerk. Dit is jammer dat ons nasionale regering nie dieselfde vlak van besorgdheid wys aan burgers in nood nie.

• Farmer Support and Development. R245 million. Mogale Sebopetsa.

We have now reached a point where our Commodity approach is firmly established. New farmers are integrated into mainstream agricultural networks through the Commodity Project Allocation Committees (CPACs) which are now functioning in all the major crops produced in the Western Cape. We will now focus on strengthening our planning, monitoring and assessment of projects.

We set ourselves a target of 60% success rate in 2009. This is in contrast to the National success rate of less than 10% with agricultural empowerment projects. We can now report back that an independent audit company reviewed and evaluated empowerment projects of the Western Cape Department of Agriculture and found 62% to be successful.

In an ongoing focus on household food security, we will fund the establishment of 93 community food gardens and 1 243 household food gardens.

• Veeartsenykunde. R71 miljoen. Dr Gininda Msiza.

Speaker, ons veeartse bly onder druk weens dieresiektes. Vanjaar is daar weereens groot getalle Afrika Perde Siekte bevestig in die binneland, en die Wes-Kaap moes sy grense sluit vir perde vanuit die res van die land. Ons het ook onlangs twee perde positief getoets vir Perdesiekte in die Porterville omgewing. Daar is nou `n kwarenteingebied afgekondig en ons werk tans om die situasie te bestuur.

Speaker, ons benodig 'n intensiewe beheer en moniteer program wat deur die internasionale organisisies aanvaar word, sodat ons weer perde kan uitvoer. Hierdie industrie is tussen R250 miljoen en R300 miljoen werd vir die Wes-Kaap. Ek vrae alle rolspelers om saam te werk sodat ons weer perde kan begin uitvoer.

Speaker, 290 ostrich farms have been registered since the Avian Influenza outbreak in 2011. Before 2011 we had more than 1 000 farms on which ostriches were kept. These figures illustrate how this industry has shrunk. Export of heat treated meat is growing, helped greatly by the weak rand. We are still not able to export fresh meat.

• Navorsing en Tegnologie Onwikkeling. R104 miljoen. Dr Ilse Troutmann.

Speaker, ons navorsing en ontwikkelings werk gaan fokus op verhoogde produksie en nuwe klimaatvriendelike tegnologie vir plant- en diereproduksie. `n Klimaatsveranderingplan gaan oor die volgende twee jaar ontwikkel word.

Speaker, ons onderteken ook vandag 'n navorsingssamewerkingplan met Melk SA. Dit behels strategiese koordinasie van alle suiwel navorsing en ontwikkelingswerk tussen die departement en die industrie.

Speaker, We are recognising the need to research alternative crops which might hold commercial interest to the Western Cape. We are therefore launching an Alternative Crop Fund in this financial year.

The Department commits R3 million from its Programmes Research and Technology Development Services, Agricultural Economics Services and Farmer Support and Development to this fund.

Speaker, navorsing oor alternatiewe gewasse is tans gefragmenteerd. Gevestigde gewasse, soos rooibos, het doelgerigte navorsingfondse. Ander kleiner gewasse, soos vye, fynbos, bessies, heuningbos en granate, het nie hierdie voordeel nie. Ons as regering moet kyk hoe ons hulle kan ondersteun.

Speaker, in 2009 het ons vir onsself die teiken gestel om landbouproduksie met 10% oor 'n 10-jaar periode te laat groei. Ons kan nou rapporteer dat produksie van R24.9 biljoen in 2009 gegroei het to R30.8 biljoen in 2012. Met inagneming van inflasie verteenwoordig dit groei van 6.6%. Ons is dus goed op koers na ons uiteindelike teiken van 10% oor 10 jaar.

• Agricultural Economic Services. R22 million. Bongiswa Matoti.

The Western Cape remains the number one agricultural export province in South Africa. It follows that our producers are sensitive to international events which might affect our access to markets. It is of strategic importance that we open new markets and gain better access to existing markets for our producers.

Speaker, it is with this in mind that our Market Access Work Group identified three pillars on which to build our market access strategy:

1. Maintain existing markets.
2. Explore and develop new markets, especially in Asia and Africa.
3. Grow and develop the domestic market.

Speaker, in order to achieve these objectives, my Department recently led a delegation of five small holder fruit producers (including the winner of the farm worker competition) to Europe in order to meet with potential importers. We will also support four BEE wineries to exhibit at VinItaly this year.

We will continue our support to the ethical initiatives of the fruit and wine industries. In this regard we supported the fruit industry when it presented its SIZA marketing DVD at Fruit Logistica exhibition and at a number of workshops on the SIZA programme in Germany, Netherlands, Belgium and Sweden during the month of January and February, 2014.

Speaker, in 2009 we set ourselves a target of at least maintaining the Provincial export profile over a five-year period. We can now report that exports grew from R13.960bn in 2009 to R16.019bn 2012. This represents growth of more than 15% and is above the initial target. We have experienced great success with wine exports to China, where the Western Cape Government supported exporters in building relationships with buyers in China.  Our exports since 2009 increased with approximately 32% over the past four years (2009-2012) in terms of total exports, while packaged exports grew by 73%.

• Gestruktureerde Landbou Opvoeding en Opleiding. R55 miljoen. Marius Paulse.

Speaker, Wanneer 'n mens na die toekoms kyk is daar baie onbekende faktore waarvoor jy nie kan beplan nie. Jy weet dit wag vir jou, maar jy weet nie wat dit is of wanneer dit gaan gebeur nie. Al wat ons nou kan doen is om seker te maak ons jeug is na die beste van ons vermoë opgelei om hierdie uitdagings die hoof te kan bied wanneer hulle daarmee gekonfronteer word. Daarom kyk ons ook vandag na menslike hulpbron ontwikkeling.

U kry elkeen vandag die derde boek in 'n reeks wat fokus op die landbousektor en sy mense. Die uitgawe wat u vandag ontvang gaan oor jongmense wat opleidingsgeleenthede aangegryp het om hul drome te verwesenlik.

Speaker, ek verwelkom graag die helde van ons boek vandag hier by ons in die Parlement. Dankie vir die inspirerende rol wat elkeen van julle speel in jul onderskeie gemeenskappe. Landbou het julle nodig.

On a sad note, please allow me to also recognise the parents of the late Vuyo, a young rising star at our Department, and someone who’s inspirational story is also told in this publication,  who passed away earlier this year. Vuyo’s parents, Siboniso en Lulama Nteyi from Bizana in the Eastern Cape, are here with us today. Allow me to offer the Western Cape Government’s condolences to you. Vuyo made a positive difference here in the Western Cape during his time with us.

Speaker, the 2014/15 year sees 380 new students registered at Elsenburg College, and we will offer short courses to 1 800 beneficiaries.

• Rural Development Co-ordination. R21 million. Toni Xaba.

Speaker, in 2009 we set ourselves the target of establishing rural development in the Western Cape. This financial year will see the establishment of another two rural development nodes, bringing the total number of nodes created in the Western Cape to 18. We will provide training to 1 000 community members from these nodes, and we will facilitate 50 projects aimed at job creation and socio economic development within the nodes.

Speaker, Die Wes-Kaapse Departement van Landbou is steeds die enigste departement in Suid Afrika met `n Plaaswerker Ontwikkelings Program. Ons is tans besig met 'n provinsiale plaaswerker huishoudelike opname. Die Overberg en Wynland distrikte is reeds voltooi, en waardevolle inligting is beskikbaar vir alle staats departemente en ander rolspelers wat dienste aan plaaswerkers bied. Die opname word nou voortgesit in die ander distrikte van die provinsie en sal teen die volgende finansiele jaar afgehandel wees.

Speaker, die Plaaswerker Program sal opleiding en ontwikkelings inisiatiewe verskaf aan 2 178 plaaswerkers en hul families in die 2014/15 boekjaar.

Ons het ook reeds begin beplan aan die 2014 Wes-Kaapse Plaaswerker van die Jaar Kompetisie. Soos die afgelope paar jaar die norm geword het. Vanjaar gaan weereens groter en beter wees. Die Wes-Kaapse Regering waardeer die bydrae wat plaaswerkers in ons Provinsie maak, en hierdie Kompetisie is 'n klein gebaar van waardeering van ons, tesame met ons privaatsektor borg, Shoprite.

Speaker, ek sluit af.

Dankie aan Joyene Isaacs, as departement’s hoof, en haar span. Hierdie Departement van Landbou is nie verniet die mees bekroonde departement in Suid Afrika nie. Dit is 'n departement wat 'n verskil maak binne die raamwerk soos deur die Grondwet voorgeskryf word.

Vriende en kollegas: Ek gee aan my opvolger 'n departement wat 110% van hul krag en energie gee. Dit is 'n departement wat sal aanhou vlieg, en steeds hoër hoogtes sal bereik.

Laat ons die landbou dien met oorgawe en sodoende bou aan ons mooi land.