Economies with a strong agricultural focus – like South Africa and Zimbabwe – could play a significant role in global food security, said Busi Mabuza, chairperson of the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC).
It would however require clever decision-making with effective application of technology, speedy supply chain strategies, and modern methods to ensure that importers remained reliant on SADC-sourced food. Speaking to FTW on the eve of a local commission on land reform, Mabuza commented that the irony of all the uncertainty around job security and 4th industrial innovation was that “food security is going to be with us for as long we live.
“If we can figure out how to apply technology to either the product itself, through sciencebacked research on eradicating disease, constantly improving soil and nutrients, as well as advanced logistics, we could access markets interested in long-term food supply.” Mabuza’s sentiments are in keeping with the views expressed at various recent indabas where South Africa’s potential as a food basket for the region and beyond were emphasised.
“But it’s going to take producing product of a high, sustained standard, and delivering it fast and reliably,” Mabuza said. She indicated that the interest of divergent countries like China, Turkey, Canada and Brazil in the agricultural fertility of Zimbabwe, renowned for its high rainfall, was already a sign of markets positioning themselves to secure food supplies from a sure source.
Her comments were not only made with reference to technology, but also in light of the African Continental Free Trade Area that’s on the threshold of being rolled out.
Busi Mabuza, chairperson of the Industrial Development Corporation.
