Minister of Agriculture Willie Aucamp has warned that rising fuel costs and the anticipated El Nino weather conditions will severely affect farmers and consumers.

Aucamp made the remarks during the commemoration of World Food Day at Tosca in the North West.

The North West was selected to host the event because some of its parts are experiencing food security challenges, as highlighted in the Food and Nutrition Security Survey Report.

The event was aimed at raising awareness on issues related to food and nutrition security, with the goal of addressing the plight of many people exposed to poverty.

Some households are worst affected by severe lack of access to food or run out of food and experience physical hunger.

Aucamp says steep fuel hikes will affect farmers and lead to an increase in food prices.

“The rise in the fuel cost is very worrying because when because when the fuel price goes up, everything goes up – everything has to be delivered and it takes diesel and trucks to do that. We’ve got an El Nino that’s on the way. Our farmers are planting in faith; they can’t predict when it’s going to rain or when not, but all the indications are that we are going to have a very hot and a very dry summer. So, it’s a difficult thing for our farmers, they are having fuel increases, they are having fertiliser increases, they are having El Nino to deal with.”

According to the Food and Nutrition Security Survey report, 73% of households in the North West are food insecure.

Several impoverished households headed by the elderly were presented with food parcels.

Meanwhile, the MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development Madoda Sambatha says more interventions are needed to cushion consumers who are struggling to access sufficient food.

“The inflation and price increases have a direct impact on access for food that’s why for agricultural purposes we will have to argue for consistent zero rating on VAT of a particular type of food basket so that people do not have pressure of choosing between buying bread and paying a tax.”

The government also donated equipment to emerging farmers.

-Report by Lebogang Pebe