Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, I am extremely delighted to have been invited to take part in the celebration of the launch of the Memorandum of Understanding between Tshwane South Technical and Vocational Education and Training College and the Dr Sam Motsuenyane Rural Development Foundation.

By means of this Memorandum of Understanding signed by both organisations, we fully confirm our resolve and intent to work together in the promotion of academic, agricultural and entrepreneurial development that will also be of mutual benefit to both organisations.

In our joint venture programmes the Dr Sam Motsuenyane Foundation shall be mainly responsible for organising farm related activities within communities in and around the vicinity of Mabopane, to participate in various training programmes to be initiated from the Tshwane South College.

The Foundation shall further endeavour to explore opportunities for experiential training and research within the Black farming communities in areas bordering Mabopane such as Winterveldt ,Makaunyane ,Jerico ,Makapanstaad etc

Furthermore, the Foundation will strive to make close contact with experts in various spheres of agricultural training and research, and to invite them to participate in the variety of training programmes and projects to be initiated at Tshwane South College under the joint venture.

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The most important training project and programmes to be initiated at Tshwane South with the involvement of the Dr Sam Motsuenyane Foundation should inter lia include Vegetable Production and Hydroponics Crop Production ,Poultry , Sheep and Goat Farming ,Piggery and Cattle Farming . The Marketing and Processing of agricultural crops do also constitute an important aspect in the training of emerging farmers.

Land is perhaps the most valuable asset that any individual or community could possess, but I am very sad to state that at the present juncture, most of the land under black occupation is grossly underutilised or vastly neglected. This happens largely due to lack of proper knowledge on how to optimally manage and cultivate the land, s well as insufficient capital available to Black Farmers.

If proper land use practices were introduced and applied on our black owned land this would undoubtedly have an immediate impact on the prevailing problem of hunger, poverty and unemployment amongst our black communities

I do hope that our Foundation‘s cooperation with Tshwane South College will in the long run yield results which can significantly transform the status-co of our rural communities

The Dr Sam Motsuenyane Foundation‘s great challenge during the past ten years has been the difficulty to raise sufficient operational funds to support our projects. The lack of funds was our main handicap to the development of our citrus projects both in Winterveldt and Dennilton as well as our Sunflower Project at Jonathan plus the Bontle le Temo Peanut Growing and Processing Project.

With the involvement of a strong partner like Tshwane South College, I strongly believe our fundraising problems of the past will soon be overcome

I am immensely grateful to acknowledge that our coming together with the Tshwane South College is also largely due to the important role played by the Mabopane Network Forum without whose persuasive influence we may not come thus far

It is indeed the Mabopane Network Forum who made it possible for the Foundation and Tshwane South College to hold the first meeting at my home in Winterveldt.  I do thank them wholeheartedly for the important role they played in the establishment of cooperation between our two organisations in order to ensure that we work together

We face a lot of work in planning together for our future operations. The sooner we start the planning the better it is going to be for the success of our programme.

I thank the Tshwane College for having pulled the Foundation even closer by offering us an office at the College. This will make it much easier for our staff to operate together.

I Thank you all