Madam Speaker, food inflation almost reached a year- on-year increase of above 90% in July this year. The consumer price index of all items, excluding food items, followed a slower increase, reaching 5% by the end of 2006. The result is that some millions of our people in the country remain vulnerable to food security and 43% of households suffer from food poverty.
Much of this poverty is associated with rural areas, particularly the former homelands. The price of super maize meal, for instance, has increased by 36% from December 2005 to December 2006. Yet, more than 2 million ha of arable land lie unused in communal areas.
The ANC calls on the Department of Agriculture to implement policies and programmes that will have a positive impact on household food security, food prices and environmental sustainability. Thank you.