SA drought conditions still of concern for Agri SA

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According to Agri SA, many drought-stricken areas were left without access to further national disaster-relief funding, following the decision by the Minister of Cooperative Government and Traditional Affairs, Zweli Mkhize to not renew the state of the national drought disaster when it expired on 13 June 2018. Such areas now largely remain dependent on the assistance of relief organisations for fodder and its transportation.

Rising fuel prices and the unexpected announcement on Tuesday, 4 September by 2018 by Stats SA of South Africa’s economic recession, create further concerns with respect to the availability of assistance for the agricultural sector. Furthermore, the continuing depletion of natural resources, including veld conditions and groundwater, is cause for great concern. It is estimated that approximately 40% of natural rangeland has been decimated in the Northern Cape due to the drought.

"Amongst the multiple challenges facing the agricultural sector at present, we all need to cooperate to ensure the long-term food security of South Africa”, said Dan Kriek, Agri SA president. "As a sector, we cannot afford to lose focus on the present real-time crises facing the drought-stricken areas of our country."