Opening the National House of Traditional Leaders in Parliament, Zuma said the National Development Plan (NDP) indicated that in 30 years South Africa’s population would be mostly urban. Rural areas would be abandoned as the youth migrated to the cities in search of jobs.
Migration to the cities would leave the arable and fertile land lying fallow. Such a prospect would definitely threaten South Africa’s food security. "We are already witnesses to this phenomenon. Many fields lie untilled across the country. The NDP identifies agriculture as an economic activity that is still capable of pushing back the frontiers of poverty. "This requires traditional leaders to work with government to promote farming to our youth and the rural population," Zuma said.
