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26 August 2008

The Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka was over the moon after she witnessed how women were fighting hunger by taking part in the provincial Department of Agriculture brainchild programmes, Siyazondla and Massive Food production.

After visiting prosperous projects in Idutywa, she declared that: "Your (projects members) is nice."

"I like that you are doing it for yourselves. Nivuka nizenzele."

Speaking during the official provincial closure of the Women's Month at Idutywa Stadium where agriculture economic development took centre stage, the Deputy President applauded the Department's women empowerment programme, Siyazondla.

"Siyazondla is a great thing we need to take it forward."

The Siyazondla homestead gardens programme, which the Agriculture MEC describes as "key and close to my heart" encourages women to plant the backyard gardens – it supplies them with spades, forks, rakes, hoes, inputs, watering cans, weed and insects killers as well as training and on site visits and monitoring.

Mlambo-Ngcuka said the implements and inputs have "brought a difference" in the lives of the Mbashe community, adding that the women of Mbashe have "shown the way (that) this province can be rich as we wish and change the destiny."

"The government's (recently launched) poverty eradication intervention … that requires 'households change agents' is here in Mbashe."

She announced that there will be a "massive intervention" to ensure the economic growth of communities involved in the large scale Massive Food Production Programme, which is part of the Green Revolution Strategy piloted in Mbashe.

During her visits to the Massive food projects, the Deputy President was cornered by a farmer about the lack of a market for their maize that she saw stacked in the storages and she soon took steps.

Addressing more than 20 000 people at the stadium, Mlambo-Ngcuka said she immediately called some contacts in Gauteng and Pick 'n Pay and Shoprite officials will soon hold talks with the farmers and Amathole District senior agriculture officials.

"There will a bulk buying."

She stressed that there was a need for the private sector "to come forth" and support the women capacitation initiatives.

Mlambo-Ngcuka also complimented the agriculture department's visibility and supportive role, adding that the flocks of sheep she saw in almost every household during her tour to villages was "wonderful".

Mbashe has became the home of Green Revolution since the launch of the pilot Massive Food Production Programme on 22 July 2005 and now farmers told the Deputy President that they want the proceeding to be fully-fledged commercial farmers.

She promised that she will soon send officials of the Department of Trade and Industry to come and give advice and guidance on how the farmers can be economically stable.

She said Public Works Minister Thoko Didiza who accompanied her to the event will revamp the dilapidated roads that can threaten the growth of the projects;

* She will also engage Agriculture and Land Affairs Minister Lulu Xingwana to providing fencing on the fields and she was positive this will happen soon.

* The Deputy President will mandate the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry to curb the scarcity of water in the region.

To a loud applause she vowed: "I will come back by the end of the year to check progress."

"You have travelled a long way (in developing yourselves through agriculture)."

For more info contact:
Thozi Manyisana
Cell: 073 2633 754 or 040 609 3965

Issued by: Department of Agriculture, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
26 August 2008