Chantelle Benjamin

GAUTENG is conducting an audit of agricultural land, and is zoning areas for farming only, in a bid to prevent the loss of arable farmland to urban development.

Gauteng agriculture, conservation and environment MEC Khabisi Mosunkutu said yesterday there was an urgent need to protect food supplies, particularly in the light of predictions that “food production capacity will start to decline by 2010”.

“Gauteng covers 1,4% of the land surface of SA and is home to 20% of the country’s population, of which 96% is urbanised,” said Mosunkutu.

“It is in this scenario that urban agriculture has emerged. It makes a significant contribution to urban food security and to economic development.”

The department intends drawing up draft laws aimed at zoning potential agricultural land.

“This land would need to be strictly reserved for agricultural usage,” Mosunkutu said. “This will not only ensure that 90% of agricultural land is utilised sustainably, it would also increase the percentage of viable farming enterprises in the province, thereby further contributing to growing our economy.”

Seven percent — about R38m — of the department’s 2005-06 budget has been set aside for urban agricultural development and Gauteng has set aside R26m to encourage land reform projects and an additional R4,5m has been earmarked to assist emerging farmers.

The MEC said he was concerned that SA was, in per capita terms, among the world’s top 20 greenhouse gas polluters. The country generated 10 tons of carbon dioxide a year per person, compared with the global average of seven tons per person.

“Our priority is ensuring that local authorities develop integrated waste management plans,” Mosunkutu said.