Hon. MEC, the recent workshop hosted by the department was excellent.

The underspending in Program 2; by R 95,616 million, cited the challenges of late rains; mechanisation procurement and infrastructure backlogs due to supply chain delays, but Dr Steven Worth’s presentation pointed to only one vital human resource, “the farmer” and emphasised that the department needs to “engage, empower and transform our communities by supporting farmers with agricultural development programs, especially in the high impact projects.

Extensionists need to teach farmers the latest technology in specific commodities, so that the “farmer” and not he commodity is the focus.

Hence, Hon. MEC, the Department has to refocus on the farmer. We all know that because we have a brain, our survivalist instincts are developed more creatively when we face risks or crisis, so invest in human capital because when technology fails, human spirit of survival succeeds.

The other concern is the unlocking of dead-capital that is too much land in the hands of too few.

I believe that the “Expropriation Bill” must be based on the noble ideal of looking at land, as a key resource in a uniform manner, no matter who own the land. If its prime agricultural land, but being wasted, then it should be expropriated.

I know that National was looking at a maximum hector limit, that could be owned by individuals. This is good in the spirit of redistribution and land reform.

The MF support this budget, with the proviso that the true resource and potential is the farmer and not the land.

Thank you.

Shameen Thakur-Rajbansi