As the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries' week-long parliamentary oversight visit to the Free State entered its second day, Committee members welcomed government initiatives to support farmers, but called for more resources to be made available to small-scale farmers to ensure food security in the country.

The Committee visited farming projects and cooperatives, and interacted with several farmers and other beneficiaries of government support in the vicinity of Manguang Metro and Lejweleputswa District to establish the progress. The Committee was also interested to know more about the relationship between the Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and other government institutions and the farmers, and how they worked together to support the farming projects.

"We have discovered both the successes and the challenges faced by farmers, especially small-scale farmers, and cooperatives. We will escalate these challenges to the Department to help overcome them. This will allow farmers to become more productive. We can also help identify markets to contribute to food security and help create more job opportunities in South Africa," Committee Chairperson Mr Lulu Johnson said.

One of projects visited was Waya-Way Poultry in Brandfort, which was established in 2006 by 18 unemployed residents, who sold the chickens' eggs to make money. The number of beneficiaries gradually declined, however, due to difficulties in sustaining the project. This all changed when the project received funding through the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme, which allowed the project to grow to the extent that it now supplies large retailers, such as Pick n Pay, with eggs.

Other projects visited included Vergezocht Plant Oils, which produces sunflower oil, Doper Sheep International, Masizakhe Farming Cooperative and Batloung Enterprises.

The Portfolio Committee is still to visit fisheries and ostrich farms in Petrusburg in the Xhariep District, piggeries, and a dairy and abattoir in the Thabo Mofutsanyana region. The oversight visit will culminate with a briefing with the Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development at the Glen on Friday.