1. Hon. Chair, MEC, this department with 3 major focus areas of agriculture rural development and environmental affairs.
2. In your tenure, Hon. MEC, the MF would like to see the following:
   1. Allocated prayer sites along the KZN coast included in Phase 2 of the coastal management Plan;
   2. The dual agricultural sector, placing more emphasis on subsistence- oriented rural sector.
   3. Agricultural policy reforms supporting small and emerging farmers and land reform beneficiaries;
   4. Analysis of the market power, held by value chain participants example: processors and retailers, resulting in unequal income distribution.
3. Hon. MEC, the challenges of the 3 sectors of farmers mentioned, currently are not only limited to market access but has its roots in policy.
4. More emphasis has to be placed on land use and education. Invest in technology and beyond the inputs of better seeds, and irrigation.
5. Hon. Member’s, government intervention is legitimate; since the S.A government is re-inventing development for the third time to address past imbalances.
6. Primary agriculture and agro-processing continue to be major employment providers; hence as legislators, together with policy designers, we need to initiate policy reforms to address population growth and food security issues.
7. Policy legislation, must equalise all holes in the sieve with alternative food networks and the adoption of fair trade practices.
8. It is recommended, that the department propose, amendments to the National Agricultural Marketing Act 1996 to use the instrument of parallel market establishment, whilst capacitating as an alternative bargaining power to assist the three target groups achieving a desirable income; access to both local and global markets via commercial farmers in the vertical agricultural value chain, whilst positively empowering these farmers within a legal business framework.
9. This Hon. Members, is Max- Neef’s Human Scale Development and Sen’s Development as a process of expanding people real freedoms that people enjoy.
10. Thank You.

Shameen Thakur-Rajbansi

MPL KZN Legislature

Minority Front