BY TSABEDZE KWANELE
MSAHWENI – Monitoring and evaluation is arguably the most important part of development. The Minister of Agriculture Jabulani Mabuza and the Ambassador of the European Union took time out to tour the Msahweni Pack House as part of their monitoring and evaluation process for development initiatives in the country.
The Msahweni pack house is a place where vegetable produce is packaged into final products which are sold to the National Agriculture and Maize Board. The Msahweni Pack House was built with th cooperation of the EU, the Ministry of Agriculture, as well as the community of Msahweni.
Speaking during the tour, Minister of Agriculture Jabulani Mabuza remarked that, “The type and standard of this facility is such that you can export produce from here to any market in the world. This means let’s produce with a mindset of exporting our final produce so that we don’t entirely focus on the selling to the local markets as the returns may be lower. This also helps get currency into the country which is good for the economy.”
Minister Mabuza added that, “We continue to encourage you, please don’t tire. If there are citizens which are important it is you, if you’re not reminded enough, I would like to remind you today that, farmers, you are very important”.
EU Ambassador Dessislava Choumelova echoed Minister Mabuza’s sentiment. “So all these things should help the farmers have better land results, create more jobs, and make sure also that food security is improved in the country.” Choumelova noted that due to COVID-19 and the war in Europe, food security has become an issue for the whole world and she commended the Msahweni Pack House for their diligent work in contributing to food security.” Minister Mabuza.
