The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Tina Joemat-Pettersson, welcomes the 12.7% increase in employment in the agriculture sector as reported in the latest StatsSA Quarterly Labour Force Survey report for the first quarter of 2013.
The findings of the report reveal that the agriculture sector was among the only two sectors that created employment. The report reveals that “the largest increase in employment for Q1: 2013 was observed in Agriculture, which created 54 000 jobs, followed by Community and social services, which saw the creation of 44 000 jobs.”
A total of 739 000 jobs were sustained across the provinces, marking a very significant jump from the previous quarter’s 685 000 jobs and 661 000 from July to September 2012. From January to March 2012, the agriculture sector sustained 656 000 jobs, the second quarter, from October to December 2012, 685 000 employment opportunities existed in agriculture. In January to March 2013, 739 000 jobs were created.
What the survey demonstrates, is that provinces that either struggled to sustain employment opportunities, particularly in the Eastern Cape, saw a 95,7 per cent jump, translating to 32 000 jobs more than the previous quarter. In part this is a result of the Department's Food Production Support Initiative, which has seen thousands of hectares of land newly ploughed and planted.
The Free State saw a 23.6 per cent year on year change, from 17 percent in the last quarter of 2012. Limpopo recorded 26 000 quarter to quarter change. The North West Province also recorded 6 000 job increases, a 21,4% growth for the quarter. The Western Cape experienced 3 000 job losses in the quarter, and 1 000 job losses over the previous year.
Says Minister Joemat-Pettersson; “South African agriculture is resilient. The structural changes that are currently taking place in the sector have been overwhelming for many, however, the results from the survey points to a positive overall picture. The job losses in the four provinces are noted with deep concern. We are aware of the challenges in the sector and are working hard towards addressing them. The sector is sitting at a crossroads and requires that everyone works together.”
During this year’s budget vote speech, the Minister of Finance announced that the would be allocated R6.2 billion to the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, with a focus on supporting newly established and emerging farmers.
The National Development Plan recognizes the potential of agriculture to be a major job creator and estimates that 1 million jobs could be created in the sector by 2030.
