Land aplenty lies waiting

I MAY not be able to say what I want to say in a manner that will be plainly understood and inspire people with vigour necessary to take action about cultivating their livelihoods. Nevertheless I’ll say what I think needs to be said.

The Eastern Cape is blessed differently from the other provinces. Whilst others have all sorts of highly valuable minerals and other organic compounds, the Eastern Cape boasts vast tracts of land which challenge the communities that live on them to utilise.

Currently much of the utilisation of land in the province seems to be for residential purposes and not for utilising land for real economic liberty. Yet this could just be around the corner.

For example, planting ideas among the population around the Mzamba/Bizana area so that they grasp and focus on agricultural production may well yield a vibrant economy.

There are ample possibilities. Cooperatives could develop meat production and have an abattoir that would sell meat to the market.

The fact that endless square kilometres are occupied for residential purposes only and that grazing lands are used for houses does not assist the economic development of our people.

Yes, provide houses but systematically ensure that grazing or cultivating land is not sacrificed.

We still need to harness the economic potential of the land at our disposal with the assistance from our government.

Driving along the N2 one can see how cattle forage together with sheep and goats. Obviously that cannot benefit effective farming.

Dutywa also has potential for sufficient meat production – sheep and cattle for the local market at first and later, with proper production management, it could provide exports.

Mercedes-Benz once indicated an interest in using Nguni cattle skin for the upholstery of their vehicles, but I’m still to hear of a previously disadvantaged Eastern Cape farmer supplying these to the manufacturer.

There are other communities in the Mqanduli/ Ngqeleni area, on the banks of the flowing Mthatha River, who fail to exploit the ample water for their crops. They do not even have pumps to irrigate their fields, nor do they have fields ploughed.

There are so many rivers flowing healthily in the eastern parts of the province. I count amongst these the Tsitsa and Thina rivers and Umzimvubu, to name just a few. How do we encourage communities to see that the soil in their possession has great potential to dispel the poverty that seems to be encroaching despite government’s efforts to fight it?

Why are communities not meeting the government halfway by making their own efforts?

Traditional leaders, ward councillors and other community leaders must intervene and ensure that their communities actively seek to reap the benefits of Mother Nature that lies in the lands that is in their possession. Let us begin to use the available land for what it can give.

Agricultural extension officers must begin to educate people and help them to see that longterm, sustainable wealth is not to be found in Cape Town, Durban or Johannesburg, but lies in the soil we step on every day. Wealth is in the fields we see neglected along river banks and along the roads of this province. Wealth is in us but it requires discovery. A number of potential farmers want to be businesspeople, but think the only way they can succeed is by selling finished products. So they do business as general dealers or worse, become taverners or bottlestore owners. It has becomes easier for them to sell cooking oil, sugar, milk, beer, brandy and whiskey than be the actual producer of these food and liquid items.

Come on, people! We have the potential to reach the heights, but we lack the enthusiasm required to get up there! — Ndaba Qinisile, East London