HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MINISTER'S BUDGET VOTE SPEECH
18 May 2007
The Minister for Agriculture and Land Affairs, Ms Lulu Xingwana, today presented her Budget Vote Speech in Parliament, Cape Town. The emphasis was on areas such as massification of livestock, empowerment, resuscitation of projects, a special purpose vehicle, and land redistribution.
Regarding livestock massification, the Minister said that this is being done through improved reproductive efficiencies, growth and development, nutrition, genetic improvement and maintenance of genetic diversity, which have been made possible by the implementation of the Animal Improvement Schemes, currently managed by the Agricultural Research Council.
The Minister also indicated that the turnaround strategy for projects on which emerging black farming communities were resettled is being addressed. In fact, one of the projects, the Tshivhase Tea Estate in Limpopo will have its first harvest in October.
The Minister also announced that the department has completed a long-awaited draft strategy for biofuels. According to the strategy estimates are made of a 10 million ton crop production from 3 million cultivated hectares per growing season, of which 2 million hectares will be in the former homeland areas.
Over the last eight months, the Ministry has reflected on the option of establishing a special purpose vehicle to accelerate the pace of land reform. This will be a one-stop-shop for all land and agricultural support services for land reform beneficiaries.
Furthermore, the Minister put emphasis on the lawfulness of the country’s Land Redistribution Programme. She said the strategies to implement the speeding of the settlement of outstanding rural claims include shortening the project cycle, delegations to Commissioners for the finalisation of claims, elimination of protracted negotiations by expropriation, batching of claims with similar circumstances, continued engagement with sector unions and landowners, consulting with Traditional Authorities and Houses of Traditional Leaders, and working closely with other state departments and municipalities.
For further information contact:
Priscilla Tsotso Sehoole
Chief of Communications
Department of Agriculture
Tel: +27(0)12 319 7317
Mobile: 083 265 8728
Fax: +27(0)12 319 7858
e-mail: smais@nda.agric.za
Web: www.nda.agric.za
“RENEWING OUR PLEDGE A NATIONAL PARTNERSHIP TO BUILD A BETTER LIFE FOR ALL”
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