DALRRD moet nou optree om nog ‘n massa sprinkaanuitbraak in 2023 te verhoed | Action by DALRRD required to prevent another record-breaking locust outbreak in 2023

English to follow:

27 Oktober 2022

Agri SA is uiters bekommerd dat die 2022/2023-somerseisoen aanleiding kan gee tot ‘n selfs ernstiger sprinkaanuitbraak indien proaktiewe stappe nie nou reeds geneem word nie. Suid-Afrika sal waarskynlik verdere sprinkaaninfiltrasie van landbougebiede ervaar, wat opbrengs en die kapasiteit om die omvang van die uitbraak te beheer, kan affekteer.

In 2021/2022, is meer as 23 miljoen hektaar geraak deur sprinkaanuitbrake – die ergste uitbraak in 25 jaar. Gedurende hierdie tydperk het sprinkane die gebiede geïnfiltreer, wat tekenend is van nog ‘n moeilike jaar vir boere in die komende seisoen. Soveel as 90% van die 23 miljoen hektaar geïnfiltreerde grond is landbougrond. Tensy dringende stappe geneem word kan ons selfs groter verliese in 2023 verwag.

Uitbrake is reeds in volle swang in dele van die Noord-Kaap, Oos-Kaap en Wes-Kaap. Volgens die Suid-Afrikaanse Weerdiens word bo-gemiddelde reënval hierdie somer verwag. Vernietigende swerms kan daarom in die 2022/2023-somerseisoen voorkom namate sprinkaaneiers op die geïnfiltreerde grond uitbroei. Ongeag die erns van die bedreiging wat die sektor in die gesig staar, is die kontrakte van spinkaanbeamptes in die betrokke provinsies nie tydig hernu nie. Dit hou ‘n risiko in vir sprinkaanbeheeraktiwiteite.

Agri SA het ‘n dringende vergadering met Minister Thoko Didiza en Direkteur-Generaal Mooketsa Ramasodi se kantoor geskeduleer om die departement se reaksie op hierdie dreigende ramp te bespreek. Onder die aangeleenthede wat bespreek sal word, is die dringende uitreiking van sprinkaanbeamptes se kontrakte wat nog nie gefinaliseer is nie; die verkryging van insekdodervoorrade en spuit-toerusting; die verspreiding van beskermingstoerusting vir beamptes; opleiding van nuwe beamptes; en die Departement van Landbou, Grondhervorming en Landelike Ontwikkeling (DALRRD) se kapasiteit om eise vir betaling te finaliseer en om ‘n oop kommunikasielyn met DALRRD te handhaaf ten einde werkbare oplossings te implementeer.

‘n Aantal uitdagings is in 2021 en 2022 ervaar wat ook vóór 2023 aangespreek moet word. Voorheen was baie van hierdie aangeleenthede slegs met behulp van privaatsektorbefondsing aangespreek om die impak van die openbare sektor se tekortkominge te versag. Die goeie nuus is dat DALRRD die brandstoftariewe sedert 2013 vir die komende sprinkaanseisoen hersien het, wat dus die volhoubaarheid van beheer en bekampings maatreëls deur sprinkaanbeamptes sal verbeter.

Agri SA en sy affiliasies sal alles in hul vermoë doen om te verseker dat boere beskerm word teen die ergste gevolge van die uitbraak en dat verbruikers slegs minimale ontwrigting van voedselvoorrade as gevolg van die uitbraak ervaar.

Media navrae:

Andrea Campher

Risiko- en Rampbestuurder

Willem Symington

Voorsitter: Sentrum van Uitnemendheid Natuurlike Hulpbronne

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 27 October 2022

Agri SA is extremely concerned that the 2022/2023 summer season will lead to an even greater locust outbreak if no proactive measures are taken now. South Africa will likely experience further locust infiltration of agriculture areas that will affect yields and the capacity to control the magnitude of the outbreak.

In 2021/2022, more than 23 million hectares of land were affected by locust outbreaks; this was the worst outbreak in 25 years. During this period, the land was infiltrated by locusts, suggesting another bad year for farmers in the coming growing period. As much as 90% of the 23 million hectares of the infiltrated land is agricultural land. Unless urgent action is taken, 2023 could see even greater losses.

Outbreaks are already in full swing in parts of the Northern Cape, Eastern Cape, and Western Cape. With the above-normal rains expected this summer according to the South African Weather Service, we can expect devastating swarms in the 2022/2023 summer season as locust eggs on the infiltrated land hatch. Despite the magnitude of the threat facing the sector, timeous renewal of contracts of locust officers in the affected provinces did not take place which poses a risk to locust control operations.

Agri SA has secured an urgent meeting with Minister Thoko Didiza and Director-General Mooketsa Ramasodi’s office to discuss the Department’s response to this looming disaster. Among the issues under discussion will be the urgent issuing of locust officers’ contracts which have not been finalised, securing pesticide supplies and spraying equipment, the distribution of protective equipment for officers, training of new officers, the capacity of the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) to finalise payment claims, and to resume an open line of communication with DALRRD to implement workable solutions.

A number of challenges were encountered in 2021 and 2022, and these also needed to be addressed ahead of time for 2023. Previously, many of these issues were only addressed with the assistance of private sector funding to mitigate the impact of public sector shortcomings. On a positive note, DALRRD revised the fuel tariffs since 2013 for this coming locust season which will ensure sustainable controlling operations for officers.

Agri SA and its affiliates will continue to make every effort to ensure that farmers are protected from the worst effects of the outbreak, and to ensure that consumers experience minimal disruption to food supplies owing to the outbreak.

Media Enquiries:

Andrea Campher

Risk and Disaster Manager

Willem Symington

Chairperson: Natural Resources Centre of Excellence

Kabelo Kgobisa

Media Officer