
=====================================================================
Launch of Eastern  Cape Cooperative Association
=====================================================================

Speeches and Media Releases
 Agriculture

[         w

SPEECH DELIVERED BY THE MEC FOR AGRICULTURE AND LAND AFFAIRS, MR. MAX MAMASE AT THE LAUNCH OF EASTERN CAPE CO-OPERATIVE ASSOCIATION HELD AT 
BISHO SHOW GROUNDS ON THE 01ST FEBRUARY 1999.

Chairperson,
 His Worship, the Mayor of King Williams Town, Mr. Tyilo
 Mr. Mkalipi from the Head Office of NCASA
 The newly elected Executive of ECCA
Distinguished guests,
 Ladies and Gentlemen

It is an honour for me to give my input at a launch of an organised co-operative movement in this province. Not far from this hall, at 
Amatola Sun, I also gave input at a function organised by the national body of NCASA. As if that was not enough, the same NCASA invited me 
attend a Co-operative Conference in Canada, through their own expenses.

Chairperson, before I can say anything, I must express appreciation of the gallant efforts of NCASA in ensuring that Co-operatives are 
formed throughout this province. They have kept their word when they said this province would be given the first priority by their 
organisation.

This provincial Co-Operative movement could have not been formed at a better moment than now, in consolidating our strategy of ensuring 
participation of the rural unemployed people in the economic revival of this province through sustainable agriculture.

Chairperson, Co-operatives are playing an imperative role in the Reconstruction and Development Programme, and most of all they are 
permanently integrated in the economy of not only this province but in all countries with developing economies. In any country a true co-
operative can be identified by the economic and social objectives embodied in its vision.

As a department, our major objective is transformation of agriculture from subsistence to a more commercially orientated agriculture. This 
is a gradual process but there are urgent matters to be addressed in order to put the process fast on track. We first accept that all 
farming activities are business in nature and farmers should be trained along this direction.

Secondly Chairperson, we must agree that government cannot farm, this is the terrain of farmers hence one of the major decision I took in 
this department was to close the now defunct money draining parastatals. All that government should do is to create a conducive climate for 
farmers to farm productively.

Chairperson, allow me to elaborate on our role as the department in ensuring productive farming that plays a meaningful role in the economy 
of this province.

LAND USE PLANNING

This is the function on which agriculture can depart from the present status quo. Geographic Information System is a key determinant for 
land use planning and as a province we are in the forefront in this regard, as we have already established this unit that is based at 
Dohne. It provides information on all different crops and where they will best be suitable. We are now able to provide climatic conditions 
to farmers so as to assist them on crops to produce at a particular time of the year.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Farming is underpinned by availability of infrastructure and this is to a large extent the responsibility of this department. We are 
committed to fulfill this role despite the budget cuts that continue to hamper our programmes.

Chairperson, financing has always been a problem for farmers, but with reduced interest rates by Land Bank, we hope a stride has been made 
in addressing this problem. Co-Operatives enjoy the advantage of finding it easier access finance, hence the statistics of Land Bank 
financing show that 58% of their loans go to Co-Operatives.

As a province we are busy finalising formation of the Eastern Cape Agricultural Bank that will almagate the former homeland agricultural 
banks. This will be a public company and farmers would be directly involved in its operation.

MAXIMISING PRODUCTION

Chairperson, our focus is for small and emerging farmers in order to maximise their productivity, to diversify their farming and start 
concentrating on high value crops like artichoke, paprika and olive oils.

ROLE OF CO-OPERATIVES

I see co-operatives as a key tool for farmers to gain full-scale production that will eventually allow them access to the mainstream of the 
provincial and national economy. Your Co-operative movement, should ensure that co-operatives are run on sound business principles because 
they are business organisations in their nature. Whilst quantity of co-operatives is appreciated in the province, our major focus is on 
quality.

We should have a qualitative yardstick to measure the perfomance of our co-operatives. It must always be kept in mind that the very nature 
of a co-operative is self-help through its members working together to promote their interests. It is therefore significant to note that 
your programme is in essence adaptable to the demands of that particular community.

In conclusion chairperson, I want you to realise that co-operatives are a means to an end, the end being to stimulate development and 
furthermore, to stabilise economy from a production and from a marketing point of view.

Chairperson, may I take this opportunity to congratulate the new Eastern Cape Co-Operative Association on it formal day of inception and I 
am looking forward to a healthy working relationship with them in our struggle to emancipate people from the doldrums of poverty in this 
province.

I Thank You !!!

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Home | About the Eastern Cape | Economy
 Structures | International Relations | Documents
 Premier's Office | Speeches & Media Releases
 Top of Page

---------------------------------------------------------------------

About the Eastern Cape

Premier's Office

Structures

Documents

Speeches & Media Releases

International Relations

Economy




