Reply:

 

 

Response to Parliamentary Question
QUESTION NO.:	545/NW1541E
TO:	MINISTER
FROM:	DIRECTOR-GENERAL
SUBJECT:	QUESTION 545/NW1541E FOR WRITTEN REPLY BY MR M BAGRAIM (DA) TO THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, LAND REFORM AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
CLASSIFICATION:	CONFIDENTIAL

fety

DAFF’S RESPONSE:

PQ.  545/NW1541E Mr M Bagraim (DA) to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development:

1. Regarding the amendment of the Animal Improvement Act, Act 62 of 1998, which places more than 30 wild animals within the legal purview of agriculture and, essentially, farming, (a) what are the reasons this has been done, (b) was there a public consultation process and (c) what research was undertaken by scientists in planning the amendment;
2. whether, in view of the Animal Improvement Act, Act 62 of 1998, allowing improvement of genetically superior animals to increase production and performance, permitting breeders to manipulate breeding outcomes and also allowing artificial insemination to be used, her department has considered the implications of the change for the 33 species of wild animals listed in the Amendment; if not, why not; if so, what are the implications? NW1541E

1 (a)The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) received a request from the industry in a letter dated 15 January 2017 to have game animals declared in terms Animal Improvement Act, 1998 (Act 62 of 1998). DAFF added the wildlife species to the list of Game animals regulated to under Animal Improvement Act, 1998 (Act No. 62 of 1998) for game farming production. The species were then declared in the government gazette dated 17 May 2019. Industry is registered in terms of the Animal Improvement Act, Act 62 of 1998 to represent game breeders societies to ensure genetic purity and sustainable utilization; do research on feeding and nutrition; define and measure traits of economic importance; and study regulatory gaps on game for food production.

(b) The DAFF did not conduct public consultation on the declaration of these animals.

(c) No research was undertaken by scientists in planning to have the game animals

declared in terms Animal Improvement Act, 1998 (Act 62 of 1998). These animals are landraces (endemic) to South Africa, hence the declaration of landrace (a kind of animal indigenous to or developed in the Republic). However, research will be executed on the species based on research questions in areas such as genetic purity, feeding and nutrition.

2. The Animal Improvement Act, Act 62 of 1998, provides for improvement of genetically superior animals to increase production and performance. This act is progressive, and can therefore not be implemented to the detriment of animal (biological) genetic resources. Declaration of the animals is aimed at ensuring that these landraces are conserved. It is also important to indicate that, due to changing farming systems in South Africa, game animals are included as these are already part of farm animal production systems in the country.