NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION 266
DATE OF PUBLICATION: FRIDAY 26 AUGUST 2011 [IQP No 26 -2011] SECOND
SESSION, FOURTH PARLIAMENT
Question 266 for written reply: National Assembly, Mr K A Sinclair (COPE-
NC) to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries:
1) Whether, with reference to a statement by a certain person (name and
details furnished), her department has the ability to create 1 million
jobs in the agricultural sector over the next 10 years; if not, what is
the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?
2) Whether South Africa needs mega projects in agriculture to attain this
feat; if not, how does her department intend to achieve such target; if
so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
Through DAFFâs job creation drive, provinces have submitted a total of 140-
150 project plans with an average projection of 30,000 permanent and 60,000
temporary jobs p.a. With these projections we believe that through
government intervention we will be able to create on average 90,000 jobs
p.a.
We are however challenged by increasing job loss within the sector, with an
average decrease of 5% per quarter in employment, leaving a total of
598,000 jobs in agriculture (StatsSA, June 2011). While job loss in the
sector remains a challenge, we believe that by improving the
competitiveness of the commercial sector and supporting smallholders to
become commercially viable, South Africa will be able to overcome
challenges of a concentrating sector, and an increasingly competitive
global market.
To achieve these objectives DAFF has put into place the Provincial Job
Creation Projects, as a medium term strategy, aimed at identifying the low
hanging fruits for job creation. The Smallholder Development Support
Programme and the Zero Hunger Programme are longer term programmes, aimed
at developing markets, and comprehensive farmer support planned spatially
and at a commodity level.
Furthermore in 2010, South Africa had a negative trade balance for
processed agriculture of -R4,0 billion; a positive trade balance for
 unprocessed agriculture of R15,4 billion; a negative trade balance for
Forestry of - R8,3 billion; and a negative trade balance for Fisheries of
R928.11 million
In those products with a negative trade balance, DAFF is devising the
Import Substitution Strategy, with the aim of providing incentives that
will encourage local processing of both agricultural and forestry products.
In those products with a positive trade balance, the strategy will be to
diversify market from current traditional markets to new dynamic markets.Â
This will be done through trade promotions and bi-lateral agreements. The
strategy will further look at changing our export profile (changes in
products lines going to traditional markets)
With these 4 primary interventions, DAFF feels confident that the required
interventions and support will be provided over the medium to long term.