AGRICULTURE NEWS - The Free State consists of many economic sectors, but agriculture is the most important in terms of food security for everybody, including politicians and government officials.

This was according to Roy Jankielsohn, DA leader in the Free State Legislature.

“The time has come for politicians and officials to put their money where their mouths are, and formally declare the drought-stricken areas in the Free State as disaster areas,” he said.

Jankielsohn told Farmer’s Weekly that grain farmers had been particularly hard hit by the relentless drought.

Whereas the plight of livestock farmers was somewhat alleviated by donations of animal feed, grain farmers were left with no support whatsoever.

He said investment in sectors under stress, such as agriculture, was very important to ensure sustainability, and grain producers in the western Free State, in particular, had been badly affected.

“It is therefore vital that the Free State government invest in the drought- stricken areas to, among others, keep farmers on their land and ensure food security in the long-term.”

Read the full article on the Caxton publication, Farmer's Weekly.