Agriculture policy action plan being finalised

The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is putting the finishing touches to its Agricultural Policy Action Plan, a five-year rolling plan intended to enhance food production and employment, said deputy director Mortimer Mannya at the Southern Africa Bio- technology and Bio safety conference.

- Advertisement -

He said SA has also approved the Food and Nutrition Security Policy to ensure fallow land utilisation for food production.

The challenge SA was facing was ensuring the country can produce more food on reduced agricultural areas of lower value.

According to Mannya, SA has accepted that biotechnologies should help address production constraints.

- Advertisement -

“We’ve approved policies and regulatory frameworks to support biotechnology, especially the use of GMOs.

“Mannya said there was an acceptance that bio-tech tools can aid in addressing food production to help create “a food-secure region and nation,”.