Picture: Veld fires gutted Kagisano Molopo area/Generic
By OBAKENG MAJE
The chairperson of North West Provincial Legislature (NWPL) Portfolio Committee on Economic Development, Environment and Tourism, Agriculture and Rural Development, Bitsa Lenkopane said she has learned with great concern about the devastating persistence of veld fires that have burned down over 90 000 hectares of grazing land in the Kagisano Molopo area.
Lenkopane said the areas affected by veld fires include PLAS farms, LRAD farms, and Communal land. She further said the information at the disposal of the committee indicates that these fires started on the night of 16 August 2023 and are to be contained.
“This is a serious drawback as the province is expected to contribute positively towards the eradication of NDP triple challenges of poverty, unemployment, and inequalities within the province and ensure that, food security and nutrition programs contribute towards agrarian transformation.
“The wildfires started when a committee is in the process of amending the National Veld and Fire Act, 1998, as the public Hearing will be held on 22 August 2023. Since the cause of fires is unknown, the committee is of the view that this is the right time to acknowledge that climate change is upon us,” she said.
Lenkopane further said, that climate change is the greatest challenge to modern human civilization with large impacts on socio-economic, environmental, mining, and development-related sectors, including water resources, agriculture and food security, human health, ecosystems, and biodiversity.
Lenkopane is appealing to the North West Provincial Government (NWPG) to move with speed in containing veld fires as this will result in an increased loss of agricultural produce, and a reduced availability of food for both humans and animals. She added that, this will also contribute to the reduced growth rate of vegetation and threatening livelihoods.
“Most importantly, the committee pleads with the government and Civil Society to assist farmers with grass and food for livestock because most farmers in use grass to feed their livestock which has been affected by fire. Additionally, the Department of Agriculture must consider climate-smart indicators that will result in reviewing farming methods (i.e. Change of crops, review of planting season, review of the livestock) and Climate-smart agricultural practices applied by farmers throughout the province.
“Furthermore, we call on community members to stop littering, especially near farms as most of the bottle when getting too much heat has the potential of creating a spark that could turn into fire. Surrounding communities are encouraged to support farmers and firefighters to put the fire under control,” said Lenkopane.
She said as a way forward, the committee will during the legislature oversight week of 29 August -1 September 2023, invite the Department of Rural Development and Land Reformed, Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Economic Development, Environment and Tourism, and, District Municipality to present on their coherent broader plan on veld fire awareness and long-term veld fire preventative measures.
Lenkopane said they are also expected to present their research study on the cause of veld fires and its findings.
The Guardian 