A jubilant Gideon Morule,President of African Farmers Association of South Africa after his association’s meeting’s with Premier Thandi Modise regarding leased state farms held in Mahikeng last week.Premier Modise is scheduled to  meet with AgriNW to discuss road infrastructure,availability and Quality of water for Rural Development and Rural Safety in the next two weeks.Meeting with other farmers associations are in the pipeline.

By Staff Reporter

Premier Modise and Agri-North West to discuss rural development and food security

Constraints and challenges in rural development and food security are to be the main focal points of an engagement between North West Premier Thandi Modise and Agri North West. The meeting between the provincial government and the Executive Committee of Agri North West hosted by Premier Modise is to be held in Mahikeng on Friday.

Other issues for discussion at the bilateral meeting that is to commence at 9:00 am  in Malibongwe Boardroom, Office of the Premier Ga-Rona Building include concerns of commercial farmers about road infrastructure and maintenance, availability of and quality of water for development and rural safety.

Modise has in recent weeks challenged the agriculture sector in the province to work towards increasing its food productivity to ensure that the province becomes the food basket of South Africa that should also feed the African continent. She has said that the problem of access to food affects about 32, 9% of the population of the province because only 23, 6% of the households in the province are involved in agricultural activities,

The provincial growth and development strategy has identified amongst many other programmes, agriculture as one of the key pillars for economic growth that should provide opportunities for the total empowerment of the people of the province.

Within the pillars of agriculture, the strategy speaks to emerging and established farmers, women in agriculture and youth in agriculture.