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Handover Ceremony
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Speeches and Media Releases
 Agriculture

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SPEECH DELIVERED BY THE HONOURABLE MEC FOR AGRICULTURE AND LAND AFFAIRS, MR. MAX MAMASE AT THE OCCASION OF THE HANDOVER CEREMONY OF 2 
TRACTORS, 1 PLANTER AND A PLOUGH TO NTLEZI FARMERS IN FLAGSTAFF, MAY 13, 1999.

The Honourable Minister of Public Enterprise Nkosazana Stella Sigcau,
 Management of Eskom,
 Members of Parliament and Provincial Legislature,
 Farmers and Community members present here,
 Ladies and Gentlemen

It is indeed an honour and priviledge to officially accept this donation on behalf of the Ntlezi farming community. I would like to commend 
Eskom for coming up with the well thought idea of investing in people (farmers). This idea can only come from a company that has a 
development oriented corporate social investment policy.

We view this as a long-term strategic partnership for development between public sector and the community. It is through these partnerships 
chairperson that we can continue to have visible RDP delivery, Masakhane or economic empowerment progress that can bring among our people a 
renewed hope of uplifment in the long time neglected rural areas like Ntlezi.

We are grateful to have partners like Eskom in our endeavors to unlock the Agricultural potential of the Province. We believe chairperson, 
that Agriculture is an industry that is shifting from subsistence to commodity production.

It is true that indigenous knowledge and technology already exist amongst the farming communities including animal traction and other low 
cost technologies. However we believe that a lot in technology improvement still needs to be done especially amongst the previously 
disadvantaged farmers, that is if we are really to move fast in unlocking this potential.

Most of the small-scale and emerging farmers sight lack of access to financing as a major problem on the use of the modern productive 
technology in farming activities. Whilst we promote animal traction as an alternative for those who do not yet have means for the new 
technological equipment, farmers must be aware that credit conditions at Land Bank continue to change in their favour and they should 
continue to approach this bank on its loan programmes.

Again chairperson, we are busy completing the process amalgamating the two former homeland banks ( CAB &TAB) to form one Provincial 
Agricultural Bank that will provide affordable credit to small farm enterprises.

Chairperson, after having assessed the availability of tractors and their expensiveness presently, we invited Chinese investors to open a 
modern tractor company which manufactures modern small efficient and far less expensive tractors. Very soon this plat will open here in the 
former Transkei with its possible venue being Umtata.

All the above attempts chairperson, are an attempt to improve access for small and emerging farmers to new technologies in order to ensure 
improved food production for local and international markets.

Ntlezi farmers must use this equipment to ensure that they produce

for the ever growing demand of the international markets.

The interest shown by foreign investors in Agricultural production, processing and marketing of products heralds a new era for emergent and 
commercial farmers in the Province. Currently our Rand value is making our products more competitive on international markets and 
exportation due to exchange rates ensures economic growth.

You therefore need to diversify your agricultural production in order to easily penetrate less exhausted international markets. It is for 
this reason that we have concentrated on introducing new high value crops like olive oils, paprika, artichoke, sugarbeet and hemp. The 
demand for these products is very high and we invite farmers to exploit this demand.

Production should always be accompanied by market availability as I have tried to indicate and it is for that reason that as a department 
we have set aside R12, 5 million for the establishment of a Market at Umtata for farmers to market their produce through this market and 
not through the rigging middlemen.

Another important aspect chairperson, training of farmers in new farming methods especially on these new high value crops I have 
highlighted. It is for that reason that we have set aside R400 000 specifically for training of farmers in various fields.

Chairperson, the list of strategies for implementation of our policy is endless and all I can do now is to invite farmers and those 
aspiring to farm to contact our department through their district offices and get advice on these new policy shifts.

Chairperson in conclusion I want to reiterate what Comrade Mandela, the outgoing President said when the ANC victory was announced after 
the 1994 elections.

" Let us roll our sleeves and go to work".

On behalf of the department of Agriculture and the entire provincial government I thank Eskom for its continued support in the rural 
development struggle of this government.

Isandla esiphayo sisikelelekile kuneso samkelayo.

To the beneficiaries of this donation I must really congratulate you on being new owners of this high-powered technology and point it out 
that your real test as producers has really begun. We will be looking upon you to be role models that will prove that given resources, 
rural small-scale farmers have a significant contribution to make in the Provincial Growth and Development Strategy.



Masiyeni Emasimini ! Impumelelo isentabeni! Amaqobokazana angalala endleleni yazini kunyembelekile!

I Thank You !!!

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