The Deputy Prime Minister told the thousands of people gathered at the show grounds that it is envisaged that the agricultural trade fair will provide opportunity at the first instance for business and producer stakeholders to recognize and appreciate the potential and mutual benefits that exist in a committed partnership.

Among the greatest challenges to meet market needs is producing quality products in sufficient quantities and varieties, available at the right time.

"In order to satisfy domestic and external market requirements as well as household food security needs, it is critical to ensure that the basic natural resource endowments are utilized and managed optimally as well as productively and sustainably," the Deputy Prime Minister said.

Confronted by mounting problems of food insecurity, Government could no longer wait and see rampant underutilization or misuse of the nation's basic resources. Government is awaiting the outcome of the parliamentary debate of the Land Policy Review Commission Report, prepared under the chairmanship of Justice Mathealira Ramodibeli in 2000.  

Government would not hesitate to act decisively, in particular to ensure that the comparative advantages of agro-ecological zones are exploited fully and accordingly for the benefit of producers, the business sector and the nation as a whole, Mr. Lehohla said.

King Letsie III, cabinet ministers, members of diplomatic corps, senior government officials and representatives of private sector and non-governmental organizations visited stalls where various products  such as food, clothing, livestock and services of different organisations were displayed.

29 November 2004