Words and Deeds
Current news in the field of property law
An Information Service supplied by the KwaZulu-Natal Law Society

Honorable Members of Parliament;(Vatho mphehi merado ya buthano)

Ministers and Deputy Ministers ;

Members of different Executive Councils from the nine provinces ;

Directors General and other leaders of the public service ;

Heads of Departments from Provincial Departments of Agriculture ;

Heads of Agricultural Public Entities ;

Distinguished guests, friends and comrades.

I wish to extend a warm welcome to the Members of the Executive Councils responsible for Agriculture present in here in this house today.  Clearly without you Colleagues the coordination of the activities of the agricultural sector would not have been possible.  To our partners . . . the farmers and farmers organizations, leaders of the agricultural business some of whom are represented by their organization, Members of the Agricultural CEO's forum from the various industries and agricultural business, our Local government representatives with whom we had shared this load of the revival of our rural economy.

Our Female Farmer of the year and many other women in the sector who have always reminded us that this is a sector where both man and women make a difference to our agricultural economy and food security.  To the young farmers who are our future.  To the educators in the Agricultural Colleges and Universities who cultivate that necessary human resource that is critical in supporting agrarian and land reform.  To the many Traditional Leaders who have given user rights to land for many people in communal areas in order to continue to get sustenance as they continue to face the challenges of life.

To the landless communities whose life in land is still insecure, the farm workers and workers in the food and agricultural industry, the non government organizations involved in the land and agrarian sector, I want to say to all of you, our promise of changing the skewed ownership patterns of land in our country is being realized each day as we deliver the land through the variety of programmes that your government has put in place.

Today, it is no more a dream that it is possible to conclude our Restitution programme by 2008.  To our Land Claims Commissioners and your staff I want to say thank you for your efforts . . . ningadinwa nangomuso.  Abaningi abantu ababefake iziphakamiso zomabango mhlaba bayisikhumbuzo kithi sonke ukuthi impela ithemba alibulali.  Ngikhuluma nje sesixazulule amaclaim abalelwa ku 71 589.  Sekusele nje kuphela ayingcosana.  Sithi kulabo abasalindile ithemba alibulali.  Yingakho sineqholo lokusho sithi impela izolo alifani nanamuhla.

Konke lokhu esingakubalula njengempumelelo kwenziwe wukusebenza ngokubambisana.  It is our hope that the new partnership and commitment we build prior and during the land summit will act as a reminder that ours is and must be a collective effort that seeks to bring about equity and prosperity for all.

In his State of the Nation Address, our President spoke about the Age of Hope that our nation and country is now going through.  Echoing the same sentiments, Minister of Finance, Mr Trevor Manuel, cited Nhlanhlayenkosi Mhlungu who stated that :

"Inala ifikile, asivuneni"

In Venda they will say "Ndi tshifinga tsha khano khulu – khari kane"

As I submit Vote submit vote 25 and 26  to this house with a statement of more than 8 000 delegates of the Land Summit of July 2005 held in Johannesburg, who proclaimed that,

"Genuine progress gives us hope for the future".

The progress that these delegates were referring to was economic growth and poverty eradication in our society.  The hope of millions of our rural people on the future growth and poverty eradication in agriculture and the rural economy is based on a complex and complicated mixture of economic, social and cultural factors.

It is for this reason that the issue of land access and use continues to be a limiting factor for others to actively participate in the agricultural economy.  The Land Summit was a critical forum for evaluation of our policies and programmes.  A few of the concerns raised were :

It was through the thorough examination of these challenges that the Land Summit concluded that working as partners we should as a government :

Indeed the question of land in South Africa is one of paradigm of paradoxes : whilst colonialists and apartheid architects, sympathizers, partisans, backer and champions used land conquests and land deprivation as a strategic tool for suppression and subjudication, the new democratic state in this country uses land and agrarian reform as a catalyst and foundation for economic development, eradication of poverty and economic growth to improve the quality of life of all South Africans.

Madam Speaker, the Land Affairs budget reflects what we will do in the implementation of the Land Summit recommendations.  We will be implementing our proactive land acquisition strategy.  The strategy will embrace two approaches : a needs-based approach and a supply-led mechanism, focusing on the state as a lead driver in land redistribution rather than the current beneficiary-driven redistribution.  The state will proactively target land and match this with the demand or need for land.

This strategy will be piloted at sites within the agricultural development corridors, areas with a majority of Labour tenants or where there are great possibilities for agricultural growth.  In the same breath we have to deal with certain cases of human settlement sites such as  in East London and Ekurhuleni where in collaboration with the housing department we will work together.

The first phase of the implementation of the Communal Land Rights Act is already underway.  We have worked with the University of KwaZulu Natal in the development of the curriculmn for land officers who will be critical to the administration of the land after transfer to communities.  These individuals will be selected by communities to ensure that they remain accountable to them.  Towards the end of 2004 we have visited the Houses of Traditional Leaders in the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga with an aim of discussing the implementation of the legislation.  During these visits we also agreed to follow up with regional houses of traditional leaders so that indeed as we implement we have taken everyone on board.

Madam Speaker, honourable members delegates in the land summit were conscious that land and agricultural development should be seen as one, rather than two separate programmes.  As we deliver the Agricultural Vote we would want to reflect the contribution of agriculture in the economy.  It is by now almost common knowledge that every R100 that is invested in agriculture generates more jobs and income redistribution than in any other sector in the economy.  Yet the share of the sector on the GDP has fallen consistently over the past five years to the current level of about 3.5%.  Yet in terms of employment, despite that this has been in the decline also, the sector is still a major employer because its share is out of its GDP share at 10.1% of the total employment in the country.

Furthermore, more than 3 million people or 52% of households that live below the poverty line in our entire country live in the rural areas, many of which depend on agriculture and agriculturally, related sectors.  These people also share part of that hope of our people in the future growth of the sector and poverty eradication.  This means that the hope of these millions has very complex challenges and opportunities.  A recent study by the Monitor Group that was commissioned by the Department of Agriculture has indicated that the growth of approximately R68 billion and its attendant employment and investment creation opportunities that took place in agriculture in the recent past, was in fact limited not only in the primary part of the sector but, and most importantly, was also generated in the value-adding chains of down stream agriculturally related industries.

This is very imperative because the fundamental objective of this government in agriculture and the rural economy is to reduce the differences.  The differences between rural and urban areas to a simple question of choice that would be exercised by people where, otherwise, the quality of life between rural and urban areas would largely be similar in the not-so-distant-future.

Agriculture-related industries have shown faster growth than the primary sector.  The windfall of and the effect of the 2003 producer price index which was primarily driven by maize prices has also allowed our farmers to reduce their debt to equity ratio which moved from over 30% in the 2000/01 season to just about 25% currently.

Unfortunately when this windfall occurred, the consumer price index also rose but the government was quick to implement food security intervention strategies to protect the vulnerable and the insecure as far as food is concerned.  Although the Net Farm Income seems to be dropping on an annual basis since the 2002/03 to date, the average Net Farm Income increased from R11bln to R17bln over the last five years.

Hence, the determination of government to embark upon a new trajectory as embodied in the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative of South Africa (ASGISA).   It is clear to us that we cannot achieve the gains we pursue in the agricultural sector without galvanizing our resources to address the organization and capacity of the department while strengthening the partnerships we have established through the process of developing the Sector Plan of November 2001.  Within the agricultural sector, this shared growth will continue to be guided by the sector plan's strategic imperatives of : Increasing productivity competitiveness ; Increasing employment and Addressing poverty and ensuring sustainability.  All these are in line with the Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations.

Secondly, madam speaker, we are all familiar with the challenge the ostrich and poultry industries have faced over the last year regarding the threat of the avian influenza.  This challenge is not unique to South Africa as the poultry industry internationally is under pressure with the weakening of prices due to declining demand as a result of the spread of the avian influenza H5NI strain.

Thirdly, we are also aware of the decrease in the harvest of grapes attributed to the continuous drought and heat conditions that have affected the wine harvest negatively.  The 2006 wine grape harvest is estimated at 1 245 182 tons, approximately 2% less than the estimate of January 2006.

Madam Speaker, climatic changes as observed in recent times are resulting in periodic droughts interspersed with flooding causing decline in the yields in the different commodities.  A drought management plan, in line with the Disaster Management Act, was approved and is being gazetted for public comment.  This plan responds to disasters related to drought that affects more farmers and makes provision for animal feed and water.  The declaration of 2006 as the International Year to Combat Land Degradation and Desertification will assist us to galvanise our resources to combat the effects of climate change on agricultural production.

In spite of these challenges, opportunities exist within the sector to take us on to the 6% growth envisaged in ASGISA.  As a result, the sector is positioning itself through a number of initiatives.  These include measures to create a more conducive regulatory environment to stimulate further economic growth.  As a priority, the DoA has created a new unit on biosafety and biosecurity and also a new branch has been created to deal with all emerging diseases and improve on the biosecurity and food safety measures.  A 50 – 80km fence will be constructed at the Kruger National Park as a deterrent to the possible spread of the Foot and Mouth Disease.

Similarly, the new DoA's organogram will focus on intergovernmental and stakeholder relations.  Dedicated capacity has been identified to ensure effective collaboration with relevant stakeholders.  The Department of Agriculture recognises that the capacity of the sector to respond adequately and sustainably to national and regional food security challenges and competitiveness in world markets should be underpinned by efforts to increase investments in agricultural research and technology transfer.

With the 2010 horizon lurking upon us, and the economic realities South Africa need to grapple with, agricultural production as the key and primary input sector supporting a range of secondary industries in the processing, marketing and consumption value chain.

These include the partnerships we have created through institutions such as the CEO's forum, AgriSA, NAFU, Agriculture Business Chamber and commodity associations.  These partnerships will in the future play a major role in addressing the capacity within the agriculture sector to realize the objectives of broadening access and empowerment as well as ensuring the biological safety of both agricultural products.  We are encouraged by the willingness of the Ostrich fraternity to cooperate with the department to reinforce the biosecurity measures on farms ; while at the same time meeting the industry commitments to AgriBEE.

"Umnotho wakuleli u(su)khulile" and Our nation is going through a major challenge of uplifting millions of people who are below the poverty line.  They need housing, they need food, they need health care, and they need education and employment that would provide a better quality of life.

It is this Hope that our government and DoA and DLA must preserve.  It is also the departments' objective to ensure that our people, particularly those confined to the periphery of economic activity, those whose Hopes are vested in the land and other natural resources, and of course those whose Hopes are at the heart of the Sector Strategy, that we, as the departments of Agriculture and Land Affairs stand here, to recommit and rededicate our efforts to their uplifting and support.

Madam Speaker, the question is therefore, how then have we fared to date and what have been some of the milestones since the advent of democracy?

In making this assessment I would like to remind this house of the words of Honourable member Kraai Van Niekerk in his first budget in this National Assembly on Tuesday 13 September 2004.  I quote "It is widely acknowledged that agriculture is the cornerstone of any development of any developing country. This also applies to South Africa. In fact the growth of the South African economy over the past year or so can mainly be attributed to agriculture".

It may be eleven years after these words were spoken, but am confident that they are still true today.  We can sight examples more than what we have done in order to affirm that the role of the agricultural sector in the economy remains critical.

Conscious of the importance of the role of the agricultural sector as a foundation of our economy and rural development, government has in 2001 as part of the Microeconomic Reform identified agriculture as one of the growth sector of our economy.  Our interventions as government in this sector either in the opening of market access opportunities beyond our traditional market or in strengthening our veterinary support in order to  continuously  ensure that our livestock industry remains economically viable has been amongst others an indication that acknowledges the role this sector plays in our economy.

In this instance I would like to refer to the grain industry especially maize, which is both for domestic consumption particularly with regards to food security.  Secondly, it is a sub-sector that is contributing to the animal feed industry.  As well as part of our export commodities maize bring foreign exchange to our economy.

The concern over the price of maize has most of us worried over the last two years, however, in the true tradition of a "boer maak 'n plan" we have seen the expansion of feedlots.  This resulted in the Red Meat and the Poultry industries delivering impressive 11.5% and 1.2% added margins for the 2004/05 as compared to the same period in 2003/2004.

This concern over the price of maize should however not be taken lightly, particularly over the changing consumption patterns of our society as indicated by the study done by Grain SA and the need for better crop forecasting models and techniques.  We hope that the current efforts by both the industry, the Maize Trust and Department of Agriculture to develop better forecasting models would provide us a better tool to exploit going forward.

The challenges exist, but opportunities also exist.  We are grateful about the efforts of our partners in the sector, particularly those that have come forward to provide both participation and skills.  The norms and standards for Extension and Agricultural Advisory Services will enable national programmes, particularly Provincial Departments of Agriculture focus on : Capacity for extension officers to perform their work effectively by indicating the farmer : extension officer ratios for different farm areas and sizes as well as the farming systems.  Human resources and skills development outlining the competencies and skills required of an extension agent.  Managing mentorships, particularly for both extension officers as well as farmer to farmer, where possible.

Madam Speaker, here I am referring to organizations such as the CEO's forum, The Maize Trust and the gestures from AgriSA as articulated by the newly elected Chairperson Neels Ferreira whom we wish God speed.

We are also encouraged by the Ostrich fraternity with whom the department's management had a visit and their willingness to assist in broadening access and providing for empowerment.

Madam Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen, the overview I have just given and numerous other indicators not mentioned here tend to support our assertions that the state of agriculture in the country is good, even though the benefits at the commercial level did not translate to the generation or, support to the second economy.

Considerations coming out of the Land Summit, our own commitments and achievements indicate that there is reason for agriculture to celebrate the age of hope.  Within the Sector Strategy and sector partners we all beginning to feel both the opportunities and challenges of deregulation and the emergence of the competitiveness of our sector.

In summary to the preceding, opportunities exist within new interventions and up scaling of current projects (bio-fuels and goats), improving animal health regulatory systems and the restructuring of the industry through AgriBEE interventions and other empowerment tools and products such as farmer support mechanisms such as MAFISA, Self-Held Groups, Entrepreneurship Develop Products and CASP.

Among our challenges, include our posture and ability to deliver.  To this end, we have within the framework of government managed to develop and achieve a lot of progress in forming functional and supportive systems.  The end of local elections has also given us an added delivery wing as it relates to local government and structures.

Madame Speaker, the issue of Food Security has never been so important than it is today.

Although the plight of the poor and malnourished has improved during the first decade of our democracy, it has also been recognized that a more integrated approach is needed to ensure sustainable results.  To respond to these challenges, the Cabinet endorsed the Integrated Food Security and Nutrition Strategy as a priority Social Cluster programme.  The Integrated Food Security and Nutrition Programme remains a key programme and strategy in achieving food security for all hungry and vulnerable including the most the indigent people.

The Integrated Food Security and Nutrition Programme further recognizes and is aligned to the broad regional food security framework highlighted within the Regional Indicative Sustainable Development Programme (SADC).  It is within this framework that the Government of South Africa has responded in the past three years to the Humanitarian Appeal by WFP for food emergency relief operation in the SADC Region.  A main achievement of this initiative that will be pursued in 2006/7 financial year, has led to the realization of the Region's need to enhance its capacity to handle its own food emergency requirements.

Agricultural development thus becomes critical in providing vulnerable communities with a hope for a better life, free from poverty, hunger and unemployment.  It will be done through the implementation of an Integrated Household Food Production Programme (HFPP) ie Siyavuna (KZN), SiyaZondla (EC), operation Qumithuli (dry land maize cultivation or field crops, New Massive Food Programme (medium to large scale commercial farmers (area greater than 50 ha), Green Revolution, Resis (in Limpopo) etc.  In its first phase, Madame Speaker, the Mechanisation Project has been formulated to provide such power tillers to small scale farming communities.  This is going to be achieved through a partnership between Agrid SA (Pty) Ltd (supplier of Power Tillers in SA), Provincial Departments of Agriculture and Local Municipalities, the Directorate and through which a number of Power Tillers with adapted tools will be distributed amongst 60 Local Municipalities in 21 rural and urban development nodes targeting food security projects.

Since the launch of the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme (CASP) in 2004, significant improvements have been made in its nationwide implementation.  The programme has facilitated the establishment of 12 cooperatives in three rural development nodes.

For the 2006/7 financial year, the Department has put up a budget of R300 million for CASP funding.  Business plans have already been evaluated and further refinement is underway to ensure delivery in the new financial year beginning April.  To date, 53 206 farmers have been assisted through the CASP programme in the nine provinces up to the second quarter of 2005/6. In addition, a total of 21 017 households were beneficiaries.

Indeed we also successfully launched the Micro Agricultural Financial Institutions of South Africa (MAFISA) in Limpopo, the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.  MAFISA will be rolled out to the remaining provinces in the 2006/07 financial year.  In addition, a commonages programme will be piloted in the Free State, Eastern and the Northern Cape.  Recommendations of a study conducted to look at problems faced by land and agrarian reform beneficiaries, to avoid post-settlement project failures will be implemented during this coming financial year.

We are all aware that last year South Africa experienced two major outbreaks of diseases.  The first was the Notifiable Avian Influenza, which resulted in job and income losses to the industry.

The ostrich industry lost at least 26 000 birds at a cost of R34 million. A total of 4 000 jobs were lost and R600 million of export revenue was lost.  After the completion of a control and eradication campaign and comprehensive countrywide surveillance, the country was declared free of Notifiable Avian Influenza.  This was followed by recognition of this status by the OIE and the European Commission in October last year.  For your information the African Union and FAO have invited ARC-OVI to participate in the surveillance of Avian flu in African countries.

The second was the classical swine fever, which affected communal farmers in the rural areas and commercial farmers in the Eastern Cape and Western Cape provinces.  This had a major negative effect on food security and incomes.  To date, 106 000 pigs have been culled. This was however offset by the DoA's efforts in controlling the outbreak and preventing it from spreading to other provinces, thus averting a national disaster.  It is expected that the budget for swine fever control will increase to about R100 million in the new financial year.

The Department of Agriculture aims to engage with all government departments and industry clients on all aspects of animal health promotion and disease control.  There is still a great need to be on the alert for avian flu and have contingency plans in collaboration with the Department of Health.

Madame Speaker, an amount of R40 million was allocated to the LandCare programme.  Of the 89 projects that were approved, 45 are in the nodal areas and benefited 53 206 people.  LandCare projects for 2006 have already been assessed and approved.

The agritourism project as an extension of the LandCare Programme was launched in December last year in Pretoria.  In this respect, 56 agritourism projects have been identified and will be implemented in 21 nodal areas.

It is envisaged that these projects will be implemented in collaboration with potential partners such as the Development Bank of Southern Africa, the Investment Development Corporation, Umsobombvu Youth Fund, Eskom Foundation, Sasol, Anglo Platinum and others.  Contracts with these partners have been finalized.

The agritourism projects will be extended with support from the Independent Development Trust.  Approximately 2 500 jobs will be created through this partnership.

In collaboration with the AgriSeta, 16 000 farm workers benefited from the ABET training.  A total of 12 farming qualifications ranging from NQF levels 1 – 5 have been developed.  In 2006, the programme will focus on support.  Through the departmental Internship programme, 160 interns were registered at the beginning of the year.  25 of the interns are placed in different agribusinesses in the country.  These 25 students are also registered with the Stellenbosch Business School for an Agri-Management Development Programme.  A total of 135 are attached to the Department of Agriculture as interns.  These students will be with us until the end of January next year.  A total of 101 interns successfully completed a certificate course in Project Management.  The remainder of the students is currently undergoing Project Management training.  Our partnership with the Department of Education will be enhanced and more targeted groups will benefit from the programme.

The PPECB as "people business" to succeed in a future international environment, training and skills development are fundamental.  At every level of society, as well as within our sector and industries, there is a huge need to invest and develop human capital.  This strategy will underline and support every other strategy already identified, and thus PPECB will be training 100 black technologists over the next three years for the benefit of the industries it serves.

In the face of the scarcity of skills in the biotechnological industry, OBP developed a multi- pronged human resource development programme as a long-term, concrete foundation for retention and development of skills.

In implementing this programme, OBP is steadily gaining competitive advantage in its area of operation resulting in the accumulation of a reservoir of skilled human resources.  Its emphasis on human resources development has resulted in us registering positive results, and further contributing to community development by appointing engineers from previously disadvantaged communities for internship.  Through this internship programme, engineers go through experiential training for a period of one year.  This will enable the organisation to have a pool of people readily available to fill in critical positions and be in a position to be employed in other organisations.

The NAMC, in collaboration with the University of Pretoria is producing both the Annual Food Cost Review and Quarterly Food Price Trend Reports.  The source of primary data for the two projects has been broadened to include both AC Nielsen and 80 trained Rural Provincial Department of Agriculture Food Price Monitors (DoA officials).

Finally the much-awaited AgriBEE Indaba was held in Midrand, Johannesburg last year December.

The Indaba marked a key milestone in our quest to comply with the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act no.53 of 2003. The development of the draft AgriBEE Charter and large-scale scorecard was a product of the Strategic Plan for the Agriculture Sector.  I am satisfied that the process of consultation by the AgriBEE Steering Committee was broad, inclusive and transparent.

In my view, the draft Charter proposed by the AgriBEE Steering Committee advances the objectives of the Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment Act, and that it is aligned to the BEE codes of good practice.  Following the support received for the draft Charter at the Indaba, the Steering Committee recommended that it be endorsed as the basis for the finalization of the AgriBEE Charter and Scorecard in terms of Section 12 of the Act.

It was further recommended that the Steering Committee be tasked to undertake work and, subject to the release of the second phase of the BEE codes of good practice to deal with and finalise, the recommendations of the Indaba.  Inputs and issues raised at the Indaba are being considered by the Steering Committee to enhance the Charter.  In addition, it was recommended that the Steering Committee arrange for the launch of the final AgriBEE Charter with stakeholders once negotiations have been concluded.

Agriculture cannot survive without clear support from new innovations and the introduction of new technologies.  This means increase in funding agricultural research to more than 3% of GDP.  To this effect, the DoA has also recognized a number of priority areas of focus for research and development in the sector to have a significant impact.  Estimated additional funds, more and above the parliamentary grant, required for agricultural research are approximately R250 million per annum starting in 2006/07.

For the financial year 2005/6, the Department approved additional projects for funding with the ARC to the value of R41 million as a means to boost efforts towards development of appropriate production technologies.  The implementation of the Agricultural Research and Development Strategy will further strengthen the Department's efforts to mobilise additional resources for agricultural research.  Increased investments in Agricultural Research now would underpin any meaningful efforts to tackle under productivity and food insecurity.

Livestock farming in black emerging farmers is characterized by poor productivity and over stocking, and subsequently leads to overgrazing.  In addressing this challenge we have developed a livestock development strategy ,which will ensure that we can support the rural poor farmers in realizing economic value out of these assets.  The cluster of the Mount Ayliff goat project offers us an opportunity to upscale in other areas where goat production is suitable.

Madam Speaker, the success of our land and agrarian reform will also depend on cooperative government and partnerships as guided by the Intergovernmental Relations Framework Act.  Cabinet has been explicit in stating what national, provincial and municipal authorities are supposed to do in terms of work plans, actions and reporting schedules.  This will also include joint activities between Government and private sector partners.  The intention here is to lift definite programmes of action from the noble statements that exist in papers.  Similarly, the intent is to structure and coordinate international activities that are undertaken by a number of stakeholders to pursue objectives of increasing the contribution of the agriculture sector to ASGISA.

Honourable members we are treating this programme as one our priority areas as articulated in the strategic plan.  The first deliverable, will be to establish the protocols, service level agreements, joint supportive projects and actions between the national and provincial departments of agriculture.  The second deliverable of this priority area is for the national and provincial departments of agriculture to produce a work plan of activities and budget to assist municipalities to deliver services.  The third deliverable under this priority area is for a quarterly report by the Director General of the national Department of Agriculture to MinMEC on the status of provincial departments of Agriculture that shall cover the six agreed programme areas.

The fourth deliverable under this priority area will be a quarterly report to MinMEC by the Director General on implementation progress of agricultural projects in the provinces.  The fifth deliverable of this priority area will be the work plan and time schedules of duties and responsibilities that provinces will transfer to the municipalities to facilitate service delivery.  The sixth deliverable under this area of priority is publication of the work plan of activities and budget to support it between the national and provincial departments of agriculture and state agencies.

The seventh deliverable under this priority area will be the work plan of foreign engagements that the national and provincial departments of agriculture will undertake in 2006/2007.  Lastly, the deliverable in this priority area will be a publication of the work plan of activities and budget to support it between the department of agriculture and key private sector partners.

In conclusion Madame Speaker, I need to answer the question on how are the two departments going to monitor and evaluate all what has been said.  We have constituted an Intergovernmental Technical Committee for Agriculture which is attended by the Director General and HODs of Agriculture from the provinces on quarterly basis.  Among others this committee reports on their status of their departments in terms of capacity and other related issues.  On political level there is MinMec, which seats every quarter, and interrogates departments' commitments given at the beginning of every financial year.  Also a means to strengthen our democracy we have the Parliamentary Committees which are playing an oversight role.  The two departments do present to these committees on a regular basis.  The DoA has just launched a Project Information Management System ; this system will provide the clients of the DoA with real time information on agriculture and related projects within SA.  For more information on the system visit www.agis.agric.za.

Thank you.

Department of Land Affairs website