Agri SA President, Johannes Moller, told delegates at Agri Northern Cape’s 37th annual Congress in Kimberley that one thing the drought has done is to open his eyes.

“If you take the FAO definition, there are less than a million people who are food insecure… Until you get there (you don't realise the reality). Until you are on ground level. Until people say to you come when Christo and his team come and deliver this load of food and water and maize meal – come and see with your own eyes what hunger looks like.

“Hunger! In our country. It is here. We will have to avoid this with our agricultural strategy.”

Moller also highlighted the importance of partnership between the agri sector and Government, saying it is in all of our interests to strengthen this relationship. 

Commenting on land reform, Möller says it needs to be removed from the political, ideological environment.

“Remove it from this ideological environment to the economic environment, with all the positive social impacts it can then have.

“This is so that farmers will not say ‘you are not coming to my farm with this nonsense’, but will instead say 'come, so that I can also participate. Come so that I can also grow my business and secure the future of my children'.”

Agri SA’s Deputy Executive Director Christo van der Rheede addressed congress on socio-economic issues. He highlighted issues ranging from unemployment, the big concern over rural de-population and the impact of moral degeneration in rural area.

“Alcohol abuse, drug abuse, HIV/Aids – all of these things are destroying communities. That is going to have a very negative impact on our labourers.

“So, as farmers we have a special duty towards taking care of our workers. Making sure they are well educated, making sure that they are well fed, making sure they get well paid, making sure their living conditions are really top class – because an underdeveloped and undernourished worker is actually a big threat for stability within the sector.

Meanwhile Agri Northern Cape President Henk van Wyk was unanimously re-elected to the position for another year, as was Vice-President Nicol Jansen.

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