Chief Economist at the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa, Agbiz, Wandile Sihlobo, says the jump in employment in the sector to 880 000, as indicated in Stats SA's Quarterly Labour Force Survey released on Tuesday, is surprising because in the third quarter of each year it is normally quiet on farms in most parts of the country. He says data shows a gain in jobs in mainly the livestock, horticulture, field crops as well as aquaculture subsectors. According to him, the increase could have largely been underpinned by the replanting in parts of the horticulture fields following a drought season causing damage in fields in the Western and Eastern Cape. Jobs were also gained in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and Mpumalanga. But there was a reduction in agricultural employment in the Northern Cape, Free State and North West.    

Eastern Cape Premier, Lubabalo Mabuyane, has officially gazetted the province as a drought disaster area. The declaration was published on Tuesday following consultations with his Provincial Executive Committee. This now allows the province access to national funding for drought relief. The DA's MP, Retief Odendaal, welcomes the news. Agri Eastern Cape president, Doug Stern, has also welcomed the declaration, but he however raised some concerns.

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The Amara Neema AgriTech Group, or ANAT, is hosting its first ever Farmers Indaba for the Free State in November. Co-Founder of the group, Simphiwe Kahla, says the aim of the event, that will be held in Sasolburg next week Friday, is to join farmers, people who want to pursue farming, and role players in the industry together to discuss a way forward. He says entrance to the indaba is free. ANAT is a youth-led entity that seeks to redefine agricultural living while focusing on farming with live stock which includes piggeries, crops and cannabis as well as other agricultural supplies. The group is currently part of the Sernick Group's Emerging Farmer's Programme where they are trained in commercialised farming.

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