LAND USE
EXCLUSIVE: Agriculture minister comes out for commercial farmers
Policy uncertainty is one of the biggest worries for farmers, admits Senzeni Zokwana
Agriculture Minister Senzeni Zokwana appears to have thrown his weight behind commercial farmers after stressing their importance to the nation’s food security and noting their concerns about policy. Zokwana told Business Day: "We have to give comfort to those who put their money into farming … to believe there’s a future there. Without food security, we’d be breaching one of our constitutional obligations." Zokwana acknowledged that policy uncertainty was one of the biggest worries for farmers and said any government policy "should not threaten" the sector. "Whatever we do, we must make sure that the production of food is encouraged; the investment in agriculture has not reached levels it should have." President Jacob Zuma has urged "black parties" to unite for a parliamentary majority that could be used to amend the Constitution in favour of land expropriation without compensation. But this stance is at odds with the position of other high-ranking members of the ANC. Zokwana said ...
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