Question NW2282 to the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development

Reply:

(a). The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) requested the United Nation’s (FAO’s) technical assistance in capacity building for inclusive and sustainable food systems in rebuilding economies of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and Gauteng Provinces. The request is based on the commitment and FAO’s contribution to food and nutrition security in the country.

The specific focus of DALRRD request is on the following:

• Promoting the importance of food production in various communities for self- sufficiency;
• Raising awareness on nutrition (undernutrition, overweight and obesity);
• Improve access to food in order to ensure food security and the right to food as enshrined in South Africa constitution;
• Support the ongoing Food Systems Summit Dialogues convened at national and provincial levels by bringing it to district levels;
• Improve districts’ capacities to ensure that government’s District Development Model elevate food system;
• Building capacities / Empower extension officers and farmers on importance of food systems and popularising it in their provincial world food days;
• The South African Sugar Association (SASA) Council has approved a R60 million price premium for Small Scale Growers (SSG) for period the 2020/21 to 2022/23, and work is underway to develop a problem statement for the SSG support strategy;
• Southern African compresses Gases Association’s (SACGA’s) ‘Home Sweet Home’ Campaign and Tongaat-Hulett’s ‘Humthem’ Campaign have created appreciable support for the Buy-Local Campaign;
• Strengthen partnerships and collaborate with social partners; and
• Focus on crop and downstream diversification task teams to develop frameworks and roadmaps.

(b). FAO has granted approval for an amount of USD99 000 for the project and the estimated time of completion is August 2022. The outcome of the intervention will be the strategies and programmes aligned and streamlined for the support of sustainable food systems that will be more productive, more inclusive of poor and marginalized populations as well as being environmentally sustainable and resilient. Further intent is that of increased active participation of marginalized populations in food systems. The support will include capacity building of stakeholders as well as a five-year implementation plan.

It must also be noted that apart from the collaboration with United Nations, the Industrial Development Cooperation (IDC) has initiated a grant fund facility to support the affected farmers. The IDC has been working closely with the sugar industry and the KZN Provincial Department of Agriculture for verification of farmers legible for the support.

The two Provincial Departments for Agriculture of KwaZulu Natal and Gauteng had done an assessment which was submitted to the national department for possible funding, but later resubmitted by the two Provinces to a process coordinated by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) which coordinated nationally the response to the July unrest assisted provincially by the Provincial Departments of Economic Development. After assessment funds were disbursed through that process of DTIC and was coordinated provincially by the Provincial Departments of Economic Development as assistance was across the board inclusive of agricultural development projects.