House Chairperson, the ACDP notes that this BRRR on Agriculture reveals that while the Department has made strides in aligning its Annual Performance Plan with the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, critical delivery gaps remain.
We, as the ACDP, are concerned about persistent inefficiencies and underspending which undermine food security and rural livelihoods.
The ACDP notes with concern the Auditor-General’s findings of irregular expenditure and poor consequence management in several provincial agricultural entities, which continue to erode public trust and service delivery.
We support the commitment to building a sustainable and inclusive food system and the awareness of the need to address the critical veterinary service crisis with backlogs and shortages of vet professionals in the country, particularly due to losses from emigration.
The ACDP calls for urgent action to support smallholder farmers and ensure equitable access to drought relief, as well as the elevation of agricultural training colleges to the level of other higher education institutions to enable proper resourcing and administration all of which is vital for productive youth employment and rural development.
The ACDP also notes the allegations raised by the Liberty Fighters Network in their court case against the Minister on poultry vaccinations. The allegations include no proper consultation studies and scientific reasoning in vaccinating our poultry. Additionally, it is alleged that the Minister announced the Bird Flu vaccines on the 5th of June 2025, but the permits for the vaccines were only issued on the 30th of June 2025. The Minister must account.
I thank you.
