The committee meeting last week

The Parliamentary Monitoring Group reports on the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries meeting on 7 June 2018. It was briefed on the following matters:

• The response of the Department to the Committee’s Budgetary Review and Recommendations Report (BRRR).
• Monitoring and verification of projects (CASP, Ilima-Letsima, Land Care and MAFISA) by DAFF in the provinces
• Climate Smart Strategic Framework
• Commercialisation of Black Producers

Of interest in the first topic is that the Draft Policy on Comprehensive Producer Development and Support (PCPDS) now includes the Integrated Funding Development Support Policy and National Policy on Mechanisation Support. There is also a look at where various legislation is at i.e. the Preservation and Development of Agricultural Land Bill, Aquaculture Development Bill, Perishable Products Export Control Bill and the Agricultural Produce Agencies Amendment Bill. Progress on the implementation of the Small-Scale Fisheries Policy is also given.


For the fourth topic, commercialisation is described as “a phenomenon where agriculture is governed by commercial consideration i.e. certain specialised crops are grown not for consumption in villages but for sale in national and even in the international market”.  Fifty producers per province have been identified. Preparing them includes training which includes record keeping and constructing business plans, and SA GAP certification.


Follow the discussions that the above engendered by clicking on the hyperlinks.

Find the relevant chapters in the Agri Handbook: Emerging farmer support, Finance for new farmers and SMMEs, Legal aid and legislation, Fisheries and the ocean economy, Aquaculture and Climate Change.