Government has prioritised the transformation of the agricultural sector to allow black people to “participate meaningfully in the economy and the food production value chain”, said president Jacob Zuma, speaking at a gala dinner hosted by the African Farmers’ Association of South Africa (Afasa) in Johannesburg last night (Monday).
He said the agricultural sector had been identified as a key platform for transformation and growth and job creation which could create one million jobs by 2030.
“Let me emphasise that such transformation does not mean destroying what we have and what works. It also does not mean that we want to destroy commercial agriculture. We fully support all our farmers, black and white, established and emerging,” Zuma emphasised.
To advance this goal, the government would provide additional support to smallholder farmers.
“We declare 2017 the year of the commercialisation of the black smallholder farmers. Indeed government has committed itself to support a commercialisation programme for 450 black smallholder farmers per year,” said Zuma.
He pointed out that government was also finalising the AgriBEE Enforcement Regulations to enforce broad-based black economic empowerment through government levers such as licences, permits, concessions, authorisations, grants and incentives.
