Order! Order, please, hon members!
The MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES: The department is the custodian of South Africa's forest resources, which cover over 40 million hectares of the country's land surface area. The forestry sector employs about 201 000 workers. It provides about 77 000 direct jobs and 30 000 indirect jobs. It provides a livelihood and support to 2,3 million people in our rural areas.
Now, if this is a livelihood provision for 2,3 million people in rural areas, then there has to be transformation in Forestry, and we cannot have Forestry being predominantly owned by the Sappis and Mondis. [Interjections.]
Downstream activities in the sector employ 52 000 people in direct and indirect jobs. Another 11 000 workers are employed in miscellaneous jobs in the sector. The Forestry and Natural Resources Management branch of the department will continue to support and conduct research initiatives and programmes to gain a better understanding of the processes behind climate change, vulnerability and ecofriendly agricultural practices. The Branch: Forestry and Natural Resources Management will get R1,2 billion during this financial year to manage our forests and natural resources.
There are huge policy gaps in Forestry. We need the lifespans of BEE and the BEE Council to be extended so that our transformation agenda can be achieved. Eighteen years into democracy and we are still lagging behind in some parts in Forestry. There is a need for constant monitoring and evaluation of black economic empowerment and its impact on the historically disadvantaged in forestry. There is a need for policy integration that will be integrated into all institutions to ensure continual and constant empowerment of black people in forestry.
To the students who are here today: Welcome! We would like to see you having a future in agriculture, but I have a serious problem. We were able to find students studying agriculture, but we struggled to find students studying forestry and fisheries. So, to all those students who say that they don't have bursaries, please consider studying forestry and fisheries as a priority so that we can have black students in that sector as well. [Applause.]
Our country has been plagued by natural disasters and animal diseases. Between December 2010 and January 2011, we had devastating floods in Limpopo, the Free State, the North West, Gauteng, the Eastern Cape and the Northern Cape. We have begun the process of implementing the flood assistance scheme with its emphasis on infrastructure and repairs. [Interjections.]
We are still concerned that flood relief does not reach the farmers adequately and sufficiently and fast enough. To this end, we will ring- fence money and prioritise that money as an advance for future disasters, so that disaster relief money does not arrive a year after the disaster, but that it is actually in our budget, ahead of any potential disaster.
This is not an agriculture problem. It is not a uniquely agricultural problem because the money comes from Treasury. From Treasury it goes to local government, and from local government it is then allocated.
Animal disease outbreaks, such as Rift Valley Fever, Newcastle Disease, avian influenza, foot-and-mouth disease, African horse sickness and African swine fever, have been serious challenges in our industry. Our department will have to improve on its capacity to deal with such disasters, as they impact adversely on the rural economy.
An amount of R954 million is allocated for plant and animal production, including inspection and laboratory services; R935 million is allocated for agricultural research - which is a substantial increase for research; R868 million is allocated for food security initiatives; and R340 million is allocated for extension support services, including new farmer development and support.
Chairperson, I'll do the thank yous when I wrap up. I thank you. [Applause.]