DR B.S.S.DLAMINI

 

AT THE NATIONAL MAIZE AND VEGETABLE COMPETITIONS

 

AT MPHOPHOMA CONFERENCE AND TRAINING CENTRE

 

THURSDAY 26 SEPTEMBER 2012

 

Honourable Minister for Agriculture

Honourable Ministers

Chief Lembelele

Members of both Houses of Parliament

Regional Administrator

Farmers

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

 

I am particularly delighted to have the opportunity to be with you all today. The reason should be pretty clear. I’ll give you a clue (not that you need one!) – what is one of the very oldest occupations in the history of mankind?

 

The answer is of course – farming. In those millennia before Christ, man came to realize that crops could be grown that would feed people and animals, thus providing a wholesome diet and, additionally important, self-sufficiency. A nomadic existence was no longer mandatory for survival, and communities developed from that time.

Much has changed in the many centuries thereafter, with the most recent concern being how long can we provide sufficient food for a growing global population. Technological advance and, most recently, some unexpected demographic changes, as in lower birth rates, have lessened concern over this issue. But the fact remains that the growing of food crops to achieve a substantial degree of food security will remain a high priority for most countries.

 

The Kingdom of Swaziland is no exception. We strive for self-sufficiency, or at the very least, increased food security, in our staple crop of maize. And while all Swazis are traditionally well-motivated to grow maize, we need to engage more land, at the same time as pursuing higher yields, whether in dealing with drought, soil acidity or the numerous other constraints.

 

The same level of motivation cannot yet be said for vegetables. We remain with the tendency to avoid the growing of vegetables until the winter season when maize cannot be grown. This phenomenon gives rise to a glut which is to be avoided. That is not to advocate the substitution of vegetables for maize but simply to add vegetables by utilizing land not set aside for maize.

 

That represents a fundamental shift from subsistence to commercial farming. The potential returns are there for the taking but the output is not. Government has invested in a good deal of irrigation development which has not been used to its potential. Currently, over 5,000 hectares of land could be used for irrigated agriculture. Identifying the reasons and finding a solution is one of the main tasks of agriculture in the public sector.

Clearly the primary objective has to be to satisfy domestic demand but, taking increased production beyond and into the global supply chain represents one of the principal solutions to our economic growth difficulties. We have, within the Kingdom, some shining examples of exporting higher value vegetables into the markets of the affluent countries of the world. But such venture are too few and far between and, to be fair, not everyone has the necessary resources for such a scale. The export market potential is enormous, including an increasingly prosperous African continent, yet we are barely in touch with it.

There is a role for us all in getting agricultural output up into the levels where we can export. The role of NAMBOARD, our main conduit to the outside world, is crucially important. The farmer has to be able to rely on a guaranteed purchase at a figure that bears a resemblance to market price and offers a decent profit margin. The extension service, currently much depleted, needs to be able to nurture and mentor the farming community. And the farmer needs to gear up mentally to respond. Only when all three are in sync will we realize our potential. And with that will come growth, jobs and national prosperity.

I am a great believer in the value of competitions such as this. The competitive instinct is innate in most human beings and the pressure invariably produces excellence. The maize event is designed to improve productivity per hectare by following the recommended crop production practices. And the vegetable competition is mainly to encourage farmers to grow in the summer as well as the winter season. And we need plenty of diversification, embracing other crops such as wheat and sweet potatoes.

Today’s event is a significant catalyst in our agriculture sector and I thank the sponsors and organizers for their generosity and diligence respectively.

The National Maize Corporation and NAMBORD are the main event sponsors but we are also grateful to the Taiwan Technical Mission, Swaziland Agricultural Supplies, Pannar, and Farm Chemicals.

My congratulations to the winners. I do hope that those worthy farmers will help us to gain an insight into what makes an individual a successful farmer. A view from the other side of the fence, so to speak. By sharing the secret with others we can anticipate the multiplier effect coming into play. The runners-up should also be congratulated. They came so near and, since this is an annual event, might well be successful next year. As the saying goes –“If at first you don’t succeed, then try and try again.”  

 

These are competitions with a suitably sharp and worthy focus. Long may they continue.

 

Thank you.