By Wandile Sihlobo
We typically focus on the national level when considering agricultural development and the possibilities of growth and jobs the sector can bring. Most of our plans, such as the recent Agriculture and Agro-processing Master Plan, heavily emphasise the national level.
Consultations are also held nationally to develop or craft these plans. This is an important starting point for establishing a national viewpoint and rallying the support of the various stakeholders.
Beyond this stage lies another critical step: translating the broad national views into provincial and regional plans. This is vital as most agricultural development depends on the local government’s delivery.
The face of the government and the experience of farmers and other stakeholders on the ground are defined by the engagement with the local officials. Therefore, we must have an efficient path of always translating the broad national agricultural programmes into local interventions, which may differ province by province.
I was reminded of this critical step as I began to reflect on the recent news out of my home province, the Eastern Cape, where Premier Oscar Mabuyane announced the new leadership appointment for the various departments.
He selected Mr Bonginkosi Dayimani in agriculture, an old hand who is also deeply respected. I have had several interactions over the years with Dayimani and can confidently say he is aware of the province’s challenges and what needs to be done to address them.
Unlike his predecessors, Dayimani has a much larger and more complex responsibility. Agriculture, agro-processing, and agrotourism, among other sectors, are key to reviving the Eastern Cape’s economy.
Unfortunately, the province has not made admirable progress in these areas despite the much-talked-about possibilities of these sectors in creating jobs and addressing the poverty issues in the Eastern Cape. The Premier of the Province, Oscar Mabuyane, typically gives promising speeches that diagnose the underlying problems. But the delivery remains disappointing.
For example, the province’s agriculture still has a sharp dualism. The former Ciskei regions of the province, with dominant commercial agriculture, are the engine of the provincial agricultural fortunes. Meanwhile, the former Transkei region remains at the periphery of progress.
The challenges of poor land governance, inadequate infrastructure (roads, water, silos, etc.), and absence of organized agriculture for training are among the issues this region faces. As a result, there are tracts of underutilised land in areas with favourable rainfall and fertile land.
The province’s leadership should pull out all the stops to ensure we realise agricultural growth in the province. Dayimani, as a trusted hand, will have to work to change this reality, leaning on the national programmes and policies to guide his work, primarily the Agriculture and Agro-processing Master Plan. He will also have to work closely with the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development to address the poor land governance issues that continue to hinder agricultural progress in the province.
Thankfully, the Minister of Land Reform and Rural Development, too, is well-versed in the challenges of communal land and the pedestrian pace of Eastern Cape agricultural progress and should, I assume, have a sense of urgency to ensure the province makes some improvements.
Progress in provincial agriculture would be an engine for addressing high unemployment and poverty. These would also be highly technical jobs in the value chain.
The Eastern Cape has the potential. However, its leadership must do its part seriously to restart the province. Once we see their efforts, private businesses will follow up and invest. We can’t keep having a rural province with a “potential” never achieved while people suffer.
While I have placed the burden on the Premier and the head of the agriculture department, Dayimani, the people of the Eastern Cape must define their destiny. Pockets of fertile lands remain fallow. People seem to have lost hope in farming for various reasons. The government has also done little to build confidence and provide the necessary infrastructure and a conducive operating environment to return intellectual and physical capital to the province.
Provided agriculture could be revitalised, and supportive infrastructure, agriculture and agribusiness could give far more economic opportunities than we see in some urban regions.
The starting point for all this work should not be for Dayimani to call another conference; it should be taking the Agriculture and Agro-processing Master Plan, choosing the value chains that could be a key focus for the province, and building from thereon. While I haven’t discussed the province’s challenges at length here, they have long been studied and do not require another strategy document.
Of course, a lot will be learned through implementation, which is a much better approach – learning by doing – than consistent planning for every new leader.
We hope the Eastern Cape will be one of the few provinces to adopt the national police, adapt it to its regional challenges, and improve its agricultural fortunes.
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