Source: Agbiz electronic newsletter, 21 January 2022, photo credit: 123RF/france68
The National Disaster Management Centre classified the severe rain and flooding experienced in parts of the country as a national disaster. This follows coordinated efforts by Agbiz and organised agricultural bodies to collect information and make inputs to the relevant authorities.
Agbiz must express its gratitude to the various agribusinesses that have submitted regular data relating to rainfall patterns, flooding and economic losses incurred as a result of the floods.
From the information collected by Agbiz, it appears as if the wet conditions were welcomed in most production areas across the country but persistent wetness and severe flooding caused significant damage in the maize-growing areas of the Western Free State, the North West as well as areas of KwaZulu-Natal.
According to section 23 of the Disaster Management Act, a national disaster is one that is not confined to a single province and the scale exceeds the ability of a single to province manage.
So while the damage does not extend to the entire country, it still meets the requirements to be classified as a national disaster. It is worth noting that the classification by the National Disaster Management Centre is merely the first step in the process as a declaration will be required by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs for disaster relief to be made available.
The South African Pork Producers’ Organisation (SAPPO) coordinates industry interventions and collaboratively manages risks in the value chain to enable the sustainability and profitability of pork producers in South Africa.
