Minister confident agriculture industry can create one million jobs

The NDP identified the sectors in agriculture that would drive up jobs

MINISTER of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Senzeni Zokwana has stuck to his guns, saying the agriculture industry would create 1million jobs in the next 15 years – despite thousands of jobs being lost in the sector and a crippling drought in some parts of the country.

Zokwana said even though there were challenges, the industry was on course to achieving this target.

This comes against the backdrop of a drought in KwaZuluNatal that has threatened farming communities.

This week Water Affairs Minister Nomvula Mokonyane visited KZN, where she expressed concern.

She said the province would need a further R1 billion to deal with the drought, on top of the R500 million the government had already pumped in to contain the situation.

However, in a revised annual performance plan of his department, tabled in Parliament this week, Zokwana was confident that the agricultural industry would meet its targets.

Zokwana acknowledges that agriculture lost 73 000 jobs in 2013/14. This was due to poor performance of the sector.

“In leading the department, the focus will be on achieving the set target of creating 1 million jobs in the agricultural, forestry and fisheries sectors by 2030,” said Zokwana.

“The sectors have been identified as key job drivers in the economy and will require the unlocking of growth potential among key industries, as specified in the NDP (National Development Plan) and prioritised in the Agricultural Policy Action Plan.”

Zokwana said the NDP had identified a number of sectors in agriculture that would drive job creation.

The minister also touched on the safety of farmers, with special reference to the killing of farmers, saying this problem was being addressed.

He said Minister of Police Nathi Nhleko was attending to farm murders. They would continue talking about this issue with Nhleko.

To implement this policy effectively, they would talk to various stakeholders, including commercial farmers, business and the government.

The government had targeted the creation of 5 million jobs by 2020. Agriculture set its target of 1million jobs for 2030.