Hon Chairperson, over the years the department has introduced a number of schemes aimed at improving the plight and financial position of our communities in rural and peri-urban areas. Some of these programmes have contributed immensely to food security in South Africa.
However, despite these achievements, more needs to be done to ensure that deep rural communities benefit from these programmes. The UDM is inundated with calls from rural communities complaining of being overlooked by the department in connection with assistance with fertilisers and seeds. In addition, some of these beneficiaries of the department's food production schemes complain about receiving inadequate support and guidance from the department.
The UDM therefore calls on the department to provide more support to and monitoring of the beneficiaries of these programmes to ensure that they become self-sufficient. Thank you.