Photo: Yolanda Lemmer
With the 49 Afrikaners leaving for the US under a new refugee programme initiated by President Donald Trump a hot topic currently, Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen made it clear that he would not be “wasting energy on them”, but would rather be focussing on farmers in South Africa. Steenhuisen was speaking to the media on the last day of the annual Nampo Harvest Day.
“I think they [the Afrikaners] made a mistake. Remember that the grass is not always greener on the other side. We have a new government, new energy. My focus is, however, not on those farmers who have chosen to leave but on those who decided to stay here.”
Steenhuisen, a regular attendee at Nampo, said he engaged with numerous farmers during this year’s event and have not met one who said he wanted to leave South Africa.
Nampo has attracted several high-profile political visitors over the last few days, including Deputy President Paul Mashitile.
Steenhuisen said the visits “were not politically motivated,” but to highlight the deep appreciation government has for farmers and the role agriculture could play in combating unemployment.
He said the agriculture and manufacturing sectors could play a vital role in combating unemployment.
“We have many unskilled labourers, and agriculture can aid in training them to fulfil the industry’s needs,” he added.
Post-AGOA
Steenhuisen also emphasied the necessity for government to pursue bilateral trade agreements with the US on agricultural goods.
“This will ensure continued access to the US market, or at least on a fair basis that allows us to compete with other producers in the Global South,” he said.
He also highlighted the importance of having a backup plan should the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) be off the table.
“The solution is to diversify and find new markets,” he explained. “That is not a quick solution but rather a medium-term one that will take a few years to negotiate.”
Steenhuisen noted that South Africa has already managed to negotiate deals with countries like Thailand and the Philippines.
“This at least provides a cushion against potential trade disruptions,” he said.
