Brasilia, Brazil – A multiparty delegation from South Africa’s Parliamentary Agricultural Portfolio Committee embarked on an insightful study tour to Brasilia, Brazil, with the aim of drawing inspiration from Brazil’s agricultural revolution. The visit sought to glean valuable insights into Brazil’s efficient oversight and accountability mechanisms employed by their parliamentary committees overseeing agriculture and agrarian reform initiatives.
Under the leadership of Mr. Mandla Mandela, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee, the delegation comprised officials from the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform, and Rural Development. Their visit focused on several key aspects of Brazil’s agricultural landscape, including the pivotal role of agriculture in the country’s economic development and its significant contributions to social upliftment.
A crucial component of the study tour was exploring Brazil’s comprehensive programs geared towards supporting farmer development. The delegation keenly examined the success of large-scale modernized commercial farms and the cutting-edge advancements in agricultural research and development. Additionally, insights into rural extension and technical assistance were sought to enrich South Africa’s own agricultural practices.
The delegation engaged with prominent Brazilian stakeholders in the agricultural sector, fostering valuable collaborations and knowledge exchange. Among the entities met were Embrapa, Emater DF, krilltech, Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), the Câmara dos Deputados do Brasil, Senado Federal, Celso Moretti, MST – Movimento dos Trabalhadores Sem Terra, Confederacao Nacional Da Agricultura, Estância Tamburil, and the Daniel Franco Institute.
Expanding the scope of their visit, the South African delegation also interacted with representatives from the Technology Innovation Agency, an entity of the Department of Science and Innovation of South Africa. Additionally, discussions were held with Africa Accelerate, who was in Brasilia to participate in the annual Innova Summit.
The study tour provided the South African delegation with valuable insights and lessons from Brazil’s agricultural success story, laying the foundation for potential innovations and improvements in their own agricultural practices back home.
