The revision of the government’s Agriculture Sector Plan was not finalised at the Presidential Working Group on Commercial Agriculture’s meeting on 11 August. This was after president Thabo Mbeki, who earlier this year said the sector plan is a priority, did not attend the meeting due to his role in the powersharing negotiations of Zimbabwe.
The plan was meant to have been submitted to him by now. Deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka chaired the meeting at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. According to a media statement by the department of agriculture, minister of agriculture Lulama Xingwana reported progress in the sector’s performance. Media reports quoted members of the working group who said the revision of the sector plan is “basically complete” and only needs to be presented to Mbeki for the necessary adjustments.
According to the agriculture department, the establishment and launch of the Ministerial Advisory Council on 7 August was “well received” by the meeting. The council will meet with the minister four times a year to advise her on agricultural issues. The council is composed of the minister, deputy minister, several key department officials, and representatives from organisations like Agri SA, TAU SA, NAFU and the Agricultural Business Chamber (ABC). Its main objective is to rekindle investment in the farming sector.
High food prices, water pollution and safety and security were also discussed at the meeting. According to the general manager of TAU SA, Bennie van Zyl, several agenda points were highlighted or put into action, but nothing was finalised. Still, he said, one should not be negative about the meeting. Van Zyl also added that the agricultural sector made it clear that it still wants its “day with Mbeki”. “If only the president paid as much attention to our agriculture as he does to our neighbouring country,” Van Zyl commented about Mbeki’s absence from the meeting. “Mbeki said earlier that he wanted to sit down and talk to us, so we will still meet with him.” The Presidential Working Group meets twice a year. The next meeting will take place in the first half of next year. – Drieka Burger
