Pretoria – The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Senzeni Zokwana, and his deputy Bheki Cele are meeting with the CEOs of public entities in the agricultural sector in Pretoria, today.
Ministerial spokesperson Palesa Mokomele said the minister and his deputy on Monday met the African Farmers' Association of South Africa (AFASA), National African Farmers' Union (NAFU), Transvaal Agricultural Union (TAU) and the Agri-Sector Unity Forum (ASUF).
Mokomele said the meetings are part of the ministers’ introductory forums with leaders in the agricultural sector. She said similar meetings will be held with stakeholders in the fishing and forestry sectors soon.
Speaking after the introductory session with the farmers’ associations, Minister Zokwana said: “The meeting was beneficial in terms of establishing links that will assist us to achieve the one million job target that the President outlined for us in the State of the Nation Address.
“We will be working together and will have further in-depth meetings that will include plans on how best to work collaboratively, and more importantly, establishing a framework for constructive dialogue on the many critical challenges facing the broader agricultural sector.”
Minister Zokwana and Deputy Minister Cele outlined their expectations of the sector in terms of food security, growth, greater access and opportunity, especially for the youth, skills development and job creation, among other matters.
They committed to dialogue and to working with agricultural unions to tackle the critical issues of competitiveness, transformation and resource management in the sector. - SAnews.gov.za
