BEE blueprint for agriculture
Thabo Mokgola
28 July 2004
Agricultural stakeholders will be afforded the opportunity to express their grievances and comments and to make submissions leading to the final report on Black Economic Empowerment within the sector.
Launching the AgriBEE framework on Monday, Agriculture and Land Affairs Minister Thoko Didiza said she would appoint a steering committee made up of government and agricultural sector representatives.
The committee will be tasked with initiating consultations and information sharing to clarify the terms and provisions of the framework document, particularly among disempowered groups.
The framework document will be a key component in implementing equitable access and participation in accordance with the Agricultural Sector Plan.
The framework stipulates, among others, that 30 percent of agricultural land be distributed to historically disadvantaged people within 10 years.
"It is necessary that we look at the possibility of
creating opportunities for leasehold above this 30 percent which can be accessed by black people for agricultural use," said Didiza.
The framework also proposes that an additional 20 percent of agricultural land be availed to the historically disadvantaged individuals and communities through leasehold.
"We also propose that an amount of land be made available for use by farm workers to address issues of poverty alleviation as well as creating opportunities for SMME development within this sector.
"As part of the realisation of these commitments, government will make available land that has reverted to it through foreclosure," she said.
The objectives of the AgriBEE include promoting equitable access and participation of historically disadvantaged individuals in the entire value chain and deracialising land and enterprise ownership, control, skilled occupations and management of existing and new agricultural enterprises.
The framework also aims to
facilitate structural changes in agricultural support systems and to develop initiatives to assist Black South Africans in owning, establishing, participating in and running agricultural enterprises.
Didiza said the Department of Agriculture will establish appropriate capacity to engage, inform and ultimately oversee the implementation of the AgriBEE framework.
The minister will review the submissions and inputs from interested parties and make the necessary adjustments to the document in November.
The document will then be presented to Cabinet for adoption in line with Section 12 of the Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment Act of 2003.
The framework document is available on the Department of Agriculture website and at its Resource Centre at 20 Beatrix Street, Pretoria.
It can also be requested by fax at (012) 319-7141 and from provincial departments of agriculture and the Parliamentary Resource
Centre of the GCIS in Cape Town.
Source: BuaNews
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