250 000 new jobs for Limpopo agriculture

According to Jacob Marule - Limpopo MEC for agriculture, more than 250 000 jobs and 10 000 small micro and medium enterprises could be created in agriculture and rural development in the next five years, The New Age reports.

2 Apr 2012

"The department of agriculture must support emerging farmers to produce food and establish food security at home and worldwide," Marule said, adding that he is confident this can be achieved. "To ensure sustainability of emerging farmers, the department will provide resources."

The national treasury had created a new budget programme aimed to deal with matters related to rural development, and the provincial government would increase its rural development budget to R200m this financial year. "Limpopo is the food basket of South Africa and must respond to supply and demand trends in our local and international markets," Marule said, adding that Limpopo's provincial government seeks to empower communities and will therefore "engage local communities through traditional leaders to undertake these projects to empower youth and women," in order to accelerate economic growth and create sustainable livelihoods.

Read the full article on www.thenewage.co.za.