President Zuma announced in the State of the Nation Address of 2011 that Government will develop infrastructure that will boost our agricultural sector, while also helping to create jobs.
One of the biggest success stories of 2011 has been the revitalisation of small rural towns. Two pilot projects are underway at Prince Albert Hamlet, Witzenburg Municipality in the Western Cape; and in Dysselsdorp, in the Greater Oudtshoorn Municipality in the Eastern Cape. These are two examples of what can be achieved through working together as the three spheres of government and the community.
The Department of Rural Development and Land Reform's strategy to achieve sustainable rural development is "agrarian transformation". It focuses on establishing
rural business initiatives, agro-industries, cooperatives, cultural initiatives, rural settings; empowering rural people and communities (especially women and youth); and
revitalising old and upgrading economic, social, information and communications infrastructure, public amenities and facilities in villages and small rural towns.
The Department is waiting for comments on the Green Paper on land reform, 2011. A set of proposals is put forward in the Green Paper which attempts to break from the past without significantly disrupting agricultural production and food security, and avoid redistributions that do not generate livelihoods, employment and incomes.
More than 540 117 hectares were acquired for land-reform purposes. In an effort to resuscitate land-reform projects, the Recapitalisation and Development Programme was introduced. To date, 769 farms are being recapitalised by being provided with agricultural infrastructure, with 234 farmers receiving mentorship and training.
The complexities in the restitution programme cannot be underestimated. Approximately 700 claims were settled, benefiting more than 13 310 households. Financial compensation paid to beneficiaries totals more than R460 million.
The National Development Plan, released on 11 November 2011, proposes among others:
- Stopping the practice of building houses on poorly located land and shifting more resources to upgrading informal settlements, provided that they are in areas close to jobs
- Improving public transport
- Giving businesses incentives to move jobs to townships
- Fixing the gap in the housing market by combining what banks have to offer with subsidies as well as employer housing schemes
- Giving communal farmers, especially women, security of tenure
- Putting money into irrigation in Makatini Flats and Umzimvubu River Basin.
Rural development and land reform budget
The Department of Rural Development and Land Reform has set aside R3,3 billion for land reform, excluding the restitution programme. Of this amount, R2 billion has been set aside for strategic land acquisition of about 303 612 hectares and R1,3 billion for making all land reform farms fully functional and 100% productive, through the Recapitalisation and Development Programme.
Outcomes for rural development and land reform
The Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform and MECs have signed delivery agreements based on Outcome 7: Vibrant, equitable and sustainable rural communities with food security for all. The document Delivery agreement for outcome 7: Vibrant, equitable and sustainable rural communities and food security for all lists standards against which performance are measured.
Programmes and initiatives supporting rural development and land reform
- Government will spend R2,6 billion on water services in 2011/12, especially in Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape where there are still high numbers of people without safe drinking water.
- Water reservoirs, windmills and irrigation schemes will be rehabilitated. Crops, livestock as well as grazing will be protected with the installation of fences. These projects will enhance food security and create work opportunities for many, especially women in rural areas.
- The Comprehensive Rural Development Programme is directed at reviving land reform projects and irrigation schemes in the former homelands as well as distressed farms owned by individuals.
- Government has developed the National Rural Youth Service Corps programme to assist youth in rural areas. More than 7 000 young people have been employed in the programme, which includes training in disaster management, construction and information management.
- Building of the Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Legacy Bridge on the Mbhashe River, in the Eastern Cape. This bridge will join two districts, OR Tambo to the east, and Amathole to the west, and cut by at least fifty minutes the distance between Mvezo Village, and its closest town, Dutywa. It is also expected to generate several spinoffs for the Eastern Cape Province in terms of tourism and job creation.
- Land redistribution helps qualifying beneficiaries acquire land for agricultural purposes. At the end of February 2011, a cumulative figure of 823 300 hectares have been acquired and redistributed since 2009. Of these, 7 000 ha have been allocated to provide the core estate for the Cradock Bio-ethanol project in the Eastern Cape that will be implemented in partnership with the departments of Trade and Industry, Economic Development, Rural Development and Land Reform,Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Energy and the Eastern Cape Department of Agriculture. A total of 1,14 million hectares of State land has been surveyed.
- The Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme (CASP) is focused on enabling rural people to take control of their destiny, with the support from government, and thereby dealing effectively with rural poverty through the optimal use and management of natural resources. The agricultural sector, including CASP, contributed 7 092 jobs in 2011 of which 1 105 were permanent.
- The Household Food Production Programme cushions the burden of rising food prices on poor households.
- The War on Poverty (WoP) Programme aims to have a positive impact on people's lives, addressing poverty and hunger and ensuring that people take control of their destiny.
- The Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) created 540 423 work opportunities and 137 525 permanent jobs. Of these, 66 355 were under the Community Works Programme. The use of local labour in housing and infrastructure development contributed significantly to job creation and skills development.
- Initiatives to improve employment opportunities and economic livelihoods include the implementation of the aquaculture programme and the inland fisheries programme that will be launched in 2012.
- The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) is introducing a complementary agro-processing strategy.
- n order to revitalise and resuscitate land reform farms in distress and defunct irrigation schemes in the former homelands, the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform introduced the Recapitalisation and Development Programme. As at end September 2011, 595 farms under this programme were at various stages of development. Good progress recorded includes sugar cane in KwaZulu-Natal, red meat in the Free State, North West and Northern Cape, poultry in North West, Gauteng and Mpumalanga and citrus in the Eastern Cape, Limpopo and Western Cape.
- Smallholder support programmes are being reviewed and a smallholder plan developed in line with National Growth Plan targets. These plans are supported by a diverse array of agro-processing programmes under IPAP, including support for the soya bean processing, canning, bio fuels, furniture, and food processing industries, as well as small-scale maize milling in rural areas.
What does Government say about rural development?
Speeches and statements on rural development
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Last modified: 05 March 2012 12:12:23.
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