"Your problems are my problems and your fears are my fears. That is why we have to work together," he said, adding that if he didn’t have to be in Parliament the following day he would have stayed for the entire congress.
Zokwana said the scale of the drought and the impact thereof has changed government’s priorities. Resources needed to be allocated to maintain sustainable production. "For that we need partnerships with organisations such as Grain SA,” he said.
The current drought affected the entire value chain. "Without production there is no food. We are all in this together," Zokwana told the congress.
Here are some of the tweets from the #GSAkongres:
Full house at the annual Grain SA congress today #GSAKongres pic.twitter.com/e5DeyuSFxz
— Grain SA (@GrainSA) March 4, 2015
#GSAkongres The current drought situation is a stark reminder of food security in SA – @GrainSA chairman Louw Steytler.
— Farmer’s Weekly SA (@FarmersWeeklySA) March 4, 2015
Government does not want black farmers to take over,they appreciate white farmer, want to make the farmer family bigger-Zokwana #GSAkongres
— Vrystaat Landbou (@vslandbou) March 4, 2015
Min Senzeni: "I am concerned about farmers being hunted by criminals – we need to isolate criminals before they commit crime." #GSAKongres
— Wessel Lemmer (@WesselLemmer) March 4, 2015
@GrainSA #GSAKongres Lost production of wheat results in huge loss of economic activity and potential Jobs for SA not to mention CA shortage
— Richard Krige (@RichardKrige) March 4, 2015
Commercial farmers to work with their brothers and not only work as producers but also as teachers to those less privileged,Minsiter Zokwana #GSAKongres
— Grain SA (@GrainSA) March 4, 2015
"Farmers create jobs: we should make sure that all state funds are made availbale to the those who create jobs"~Minister Zokwana #GSAKongres
— Wandile Sihlobo (@WandileSihlobo) March 4, 2015
#GSAkongres Zokwana: Please never lose hope about the future of agriculture in SA.
— Farmer’s Weekly SA (@FarmersWeeklySA) March 4, 2015
