by Olwetu Batyi | May 7, 2021 | atp1
MEC for Rural Development and Agrarian Reform Nonkqubela Pieters urged the Joe Gqabi staff to work harder in supporting farmers to ensure that it continues to produce the best wool in the country.
She was speaking during a meeting with the staff where she was warmly welcomed by the staff who assured her that they will work with her to make the sector to appeal to young people.
“I will urge all those who have ideas to come so that we can come up with strategies as I may not know the lingo used by young people,” she said.
The MEC also spoke at length about creating an conducive environment for the staff to execute their duties. She added that the was no room for gender based violence that is rampant in the country.
Acting District Director Zimasa Nduna’s report gave detail of staffing and infrastructural development in the District.
Acting HOD Bongikaya Dayimani decried bleak expenditure trends in some districts saying it was “criminal” to underspend by almost half a million on food security in the midst of poverty in the country
“Just look at how many households you could have supported?”.
He encouraged staff members to tighten controls and avoid fruitless, irregular and wasteful expenditure.
by Olwetu Batyi | May 5, 2021 | atp1
MEC Pieters officially handsover a shearing shed in Senqu Municipality
Eastern Cape Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform MEC Nonkqubela Pieters today officially handed over a shearing shed in rural Dulciesnek in Sterkspruit.
The facility which has contributed hundreds of thousands to farmers in Sterkspruit and Hershel was funded by DRDAR to the tune of R1.1million. It includes a livestock handling facility and a dipping tank.
Speaking at the handover MEC Peters commended Senqu Local Municipality Farmers for producing the best quality of wool and undertook to look into their needs so as to enhance productivity in the area.
She encouraged farmers to use the programmes availed by government for livestock improvement.
“An amount of R8million has been set aside in the current financial year to fight sheep scab in order to improve the quality of wool and ensure that our farmers in the province produce the best quality”.
Despite not having a formal facility, the farmers in the area produced wool that earned them R342 000 in 2017, more than R429 000 in 2018, 201 000 in 2019, while the year of the Covid-19 pandemic earned them R446 000.
Xolisa Mtsila (33) one of the farmers who are part of the shearing shed said the facility was a “Dream come true. Thinking of where we come from, where we had to use a shed that was build with stones, we are grateful to the Department for this lifechanging facility.”
Mtsila said farmers used to operate without much knowledge until DRDAR extension officers offered them lessons on wool handling.
“We didn’t only receive training we also got assistance in livestock improvement e.g vaccination, Dohne Merino rams to improve our wool quality. The only thing we need from government is monitoring as we know when government is closer we get encouraged to work more and be successful in this farming business” concluded Mtsila.
The shearing shed currently has 47 members including 26 women, 10 youths and three people living with disabilities. It also shears a total number of 2309 sheep in the newly constructed shed.
In the previous shearing season 1734 sheep were shorn in March 2021 producing 30 wool bales with a revenue of R346 554,30 and 575 lambs were shorn in October 2020 producing 9 bales with a revenue of R100 012,07. A total of R446 566,37 was realised from wool production.
“This was our fore fathers’ dream to be wool farmers and we have achieved that, now we also want to leave legacy for our children as well and that is the reason we have pulled youth closer in this project. We also want this community to be known as the best wool producers in this region and that is where we are heading”, said Mzonjani Mgwalume (59) who is the chairperson of Dulciesnek shearing shed.
Meanwhile, Sakhele Soldeka a member of Gijima, an anti-livestock theft organisation said the only problem faced by farmers in the area was livestock theft.
He said during lockdown livestock thieves made off with hundreds of livestock, taking advantage of the lockdown regulations which prohibited movement at certain times.
He said: “We managed to go across to the mountains and came back with more than 330 cattle which were stolen. All of them had branding meaning they belonged to South Africans. We are really trying to participate in government call of vuk’uzenzele but there are people who practise vuk’uzothatha and they live among us.”
by Olwetu Batyi | Apr 30, 2021 | atp1
MEC Pieters commits DRDAR to assist rural grain farmers in Deberha
By Thozi kaManyisana
MEC for the Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform (DRDAR) Nonkqubela Pieters committed the department to assist Siyazama Food Security Co-operative in Ngcobo to plough 12 hectares of land which they fenced from their own pockets.
The MEC was speaking at a Maize Information Day organized by Siyazama Co-op based in Deberha administrative area in Engcobo.
The project currently owns 28ha of land, 16ha of which is used for grain production thanks to the assistance of DRDAR and Ngcobo Local Municipality.
MEC Pieters said she was “pleased” that the co-op had started the development on their own before seeking government support.
“Farmers here have informed me they want to plough the whole fenced land and they do not only want to plough maize but they also want to plant vegetables. The department will come and test the soil in order to assist to plough the whole area. They also want to be trained ,we are committing as a department that we’ll come back and train them,” she said to a loud applause.
She declared that government wanted to create communal and emerging farmers of a “higher grade that are sustainable commercially.”
“We want to create farmers of a higher grade that are not ploughing big fields for pride but have sustainable commercial markets .
“The generation of income through farming is important in the rural space hence government wants committed farmers that are serious about farming as a business and do not treat it as pastime hobby,” she said.
DRDAR Ngcobo office Manager Thembile Mhlana said the department assisted the project with inputs that included seeds, weed killers and fertilisers to plough 6ha while the Municipality provided inputs with tractors and implements to plough.
“These farmers were assisted after they showed dedication to produce maize. We are hopeful this visit will motivate them more ,” Mhlana said.
Ngcobo Mayoral Committee member Cllr Mhlangabezi Tomose said: “we were encouraged by the commitment shown by this co-op hence and we assist them.
“ Let’s work our land like our forefathers because nothing can fight poverty in this province other than farming. Young people should see that it’s important to go back to basics by working land and rearing animals.”
An emotional Nonambala Tomose who is one of the pioneers of project, which has 15 members, 10 of them being women narrated a story of how “pensioners did not fold their arms” but started raising funds for the development.
“Because of lack of employment we decided to use our social grant monies to start ploughing in 2019.
“In that festive season, as old as I am, we were running in the hot sun and leaving traditional ceremonies to plough our land,” said the 68-year-old Tomose.
“We started with the fencing of 28ha which we funded from our own pockets before ploughing 6ha. The project later approached both DRDAR and the municipality for assistance.
“When we arrived at DRDAR, we met people who were welcoming and appreciative,” she said adding that DRDAR team visited the project and gave assistance.
Tomose said DRDAR and the Municipality assisted the project with weed killers in the 2020 ploughing season, waking up at 3am to start removing weeds was now history.
Chairperson of the project, Potsoyi Kolisi said, “MEC the sun has risen here because you have arrived here,” adding that the project also want to produce vegetables.
by Olwetu Batyi | Apr 26, 2021 | atp1
MEC re-commits DRDAR to work with private sector
By Thozi kaManyisana
Eastern Cape Rural Development and Agrarian Reform MEC Nonkqubela Peiters used the official handover of a R5 million poultry development to commit her department to working with the private sector to improve lives.
The structure in Gobhoti village is a result of partnership between Rand Mutual Assurance and the Mineworkers Development Agency (MDA) to support a 10-member Bumbano Siyaqhuba Multi-purpose Farming Secondary Coop that is working with DICLA training and projects as mentors and marketers.
“This is a very good project and we re-commit ourselves to work with private sector so that we can change the lives of our people.
“On behalf of government, we are grateful that National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) through, the Mineworkers Development Agency ensured the responsibility of the development of communities by providing funding as part of poverty alleviation and food security.
She said government alone will not be able to create sustainable and vibrant rural development hence the need for private sector involvement.
Project leader Mhaga Sotyato assured the MEC and those present that the “project will never die but will benefit the generations after us.”
Sotyato said the project was founded in 2017 and has 11 primary coops under it which produce grains and vegetables.
“When we heard that we would be getting this facility, we did not believe it but now it is a reality and we are happy that we have already created 14 jobs,” Sotyato said.
He applauded the “good work and willingness to assist attitude” shown by the extension and advisory services officials that are working a DRDAR offices in Ngcobo.
MDA representative Luthando Brukwe said he was “happy about this project because it came at a difficult time of the economic meltdown. We were motivated to support this project because we saw that its entrepreneurship drive was very high.”
He said the aim of the project, which has a “lifetime” offtake agreement with DICLA was to have revenue of R100 000 a month in the next three months and that would mean creation of more jobs.
Brukwe said the workers of the project had undergone AgriSeta-accredited poultry management course, adding that the building of the structures was started in January and was finished by March with the “first egg being sold the following month.”
He said the structure, which is “scientifically designed based on the needs of the chickens” has a borehole linked to secondary storage to supply water, huge generator for electricity backup, cold storage and four structures that have the capacity to carry between 2 000 to 2 500 chickens.
The project already has 4 000 layer chickens in four structures but Brukwe says they are aiming to have 10 000 chickens by the end of this year.
by Olwetu Batyi | Apr 20, 2021 | atp1
DM Skwatsha hands over livestock and machinery worth R35,5 m
By Thozi kaManyisana
Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) Mcebisi Skwatsha officially handed over livestock and machinery worth more than R35,5 million to four farms in the Joe Gqabi District.
These farms benefited from the Economic Stimulus and Recovery Plan aimed to counter unemployment, food security and economic meltdown.
Following the announcement of the Plan by President Cryil Ramaphosa, DALRRD conceptualised intervention packages to support black commercial farmers who are leasing Land Reform Farms from the department.
The key interventions include provision of infrastructure, mechanisation and implements, livestock or production inputs, skills development and transfer through mentorship and access to the markets.
The deputy minister (DM) handed over a total of 308 Bonsmara cattle and 290 merino sheep to the four farms who also each received a tractor, trailer, scraper and fire-fighting equipment.
Speaking during the official handover of the livestock and machinery at the Vaalkop Farm in Venterstad, DM Skwatsha said he was “Inspired by what I saw” on Sunday at Wepener Farm where Imbumba Co-op that received 105 sheep from the department is operating.
“What inspired me in that farm is the involvement of young people. We are in a bid to make farming a cool thing so that it can be appealing to the young people. By having young people doing farming, we are building the future of the nation. We should be proud that some of the farmers are young. Gone are the days where we only saw elderly farmers only.
“Today is a joyous day for me as well as these farmers because this will help in ensuring they are sustainable and formidable commercial farmers. This stimulus fund is meant to play a big role in the eradication of poverty. This is a day when we all ought to be happy and I am happy to see that farmers are glad,” he said.
One of the beneficiaries, Kholisile Yalezo who is leading a family coop, Dikela Farm Project, based at Vaalkop Farm received 128 Bonsmara cattle. He said he was “lost for words to express gratitude.”
“I am very happy about what government has done for me. I never thought this day would come. Since I arrived in this farm in 2014, it was really unbearable and hard to operate but through perseverance I managed.
“Now that I have been provided with quality beef producing breed, it will be easy to sell my livestock after battling for years. The tears that I had have now been wiped away,” Yalezo said.
The owner of Hillhead farm in Aliwal North Pinkie Mbekwa who received 290 cattle said she was “thankful to the government for what it has done for an independent woman like me. I want all women to see a leaving example from me – go and ask for help and the extension officials will assist you.”
A total of 24 farms were identified in the Eastern Cape to benefit from the Plan and they will be in different commodities including fields crops, vegetables and livestock production.
