by Olwetu Batyi | Nov 13, 2020 | atp1
Cattle farming solutions expected from revamped dip tank
MEC for Rural Development and Agrarian Reform, Nomakhosazana Meth officially handed over a dipping tank to be used by three villages under Qutsa Administrative Area in Tsomo.
The handover of the facility came at a time where Nyokana, Ndungwana and Shweni communities were experiencing rampant stock theft and tick borne diseases which affected their livestock.
Speaking during the hand over, the MEC encouraged farmers to take care of their livestock.
“The department runs a livestock improvement programme. The programme doesn’t only talk about genetic improvement of animals but it touches even on animal health –one of the factors that determine the quality of animals,” said Meth.
Livestock farmers in the area said they were faced with the challenge of livestock theft, tick borne diseases, lack of animal branding, and vaccination.
According to Mzwamadoda Elefu, chairperson for the Qutsa Village dip committee their problems began when the dipping tank they were using started collapsing three years ago. Due to this, livestock registration, vaccinations and dipping ceased.
“We were suddenly overwhelmed with cases of stray cattle which were easy to steal because they weren’t registered. Other farmers lost huge numbers of their cattle because of diseases that broke out after we had stopped dipping and we suffered major losses,” he added.
MEC Meth said she expected the local farmers to go back to the old ways of communal livestock farming where all animals of a particular area were branded and recorded in the books of the dip committee to curb cases of stock theft.
One of the farmers, Nonzame Nketo who had identified a market for hides said her customers complained about the quality of the hides she sold to them.
Nketo buys hides from locals and sells them to neighbouring towns for processing.
“The dilapidation of the cattle dipping tank had far reaching impact even on those who just buy cattle for slaughtering because the meat was of inferior quality and so were the hides that I specialize on. Cattle suddenly grew tumors that turned into sores,” said Nketo.
Dr Tafadzwa Chimbwande of the Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform added that cattle that weren’t dipped stood a greater chance of contracting tick-borne diseases like the redwater, anaplasmosis and other parasitic diseases.
But the renovated cattle dip tank in Ndungwane Village is expected to bring solutions to all the challenges identified by the farmers.
The dip tank consists of two separate pans to be used for vaccination, animal branding, registration and castration.
MEC Meth said her department would ensure accessibility of state veterinarians and animal health technicians to further transfer basic animal health skills to locals.
The renovations of the facility were carried out by youths from the three villages through the EPWP programme.
by Olwetu Batyi | Nov 2, 2020 | atp1
Bushula to lead Youth in Agriculture and Rural Development(YARD )
Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform (DRDAR) MEC Nomakhosazana Meth called on youth in the agricultural sector to be united because government needed “feel” their existence through the impact they make in food security.
“We want to see the youth vibrancy and visibility. Actually, we want to feel that you are indeed involved in food security. There are many opportunities in this industry as both the provincial and national governments are saying agriculture is the game changer. The future is bright when the youth is in the forefront and I am proud of you. Now it is the time for youth to take leadership in this sector,” she said.
The MEC was speaking during the launch of the provincial Youth in Agriculture and Rural Development (YARD) structure held the NYDA premises in Mthatha where youth from all district gathered to elect a provincial leadership.
She said she was also proud that the young people that “are walking the talk and are already creating jobs.”
“The energy and knowledge of these youngsters will bring change in this sector. Youth should be able to make contribution to issues that affect their future hence I am happy to see you. It is critical to equip youth with skills to create jobs. We do not want young people with business that is not sustainable hence we will assist you,” she said to loud applause.
Chief Director for District Coordination Hamilton Ntsabo said DRDAR “saw it fit” to organise young people in the sector to form a structure so that they can be “united with the vision of ensuring food security.
“We are building the nation by ensuring young people are united so that we can hear and understand their needs and their contribution so that we provide the much needed support collectively. We are serious about creating young generation of farmers and this structure will ensure that,” he said.
The structure, led by award-winning youth farmer from Stutterheim, Mlungisi Sonwabile Bushula is tasked with stimulating the thinking of youth to acknowledge and take agriculture, forestry and fisheries as a commercial venture.
They are mandated to expand youth participation in the sector and facilitate the provision of support including agriculture extension and advisory, mentorship as well as entrepreneurial and business skills.
Bushula, who is into forestry and game farming, said the youth “feels honoured and privileged” that DRDAR has organised them so that they can have a structure that will “unlock the potential and support ” young people.
“I am happy that, all of us in this committee are active in agriculture so we will be showcasing our work to encourage others to join in.
“I want to make this sector to be attractive and vibrant among young people so that we can change the current demographics that are currently dominated by the elderly.
“We will empower the existing projects so that we can encourage young people to see agriculture as a career and lucrative business ,” he said.
The YARD committee is made of young people that are in poultry, crop, vermiculture, piggery, vegetables, forestry, game farming and livestock
by Olwetu Batyi | Oct 26, 2020 | atp1
Agriculture is a business and you can make life out of it
The department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform (DRDAR) will assist 28-year-old Yonela Ndzoboyi with a borehole for irrigation purposes where he plants different kinds of vegetables, MEC Nomakhosana Meth announced.
She was speaking during a visit to the Lencolin Green Project in Ludeke Village in Bizana,“inspired and impressed” by work done by Ndzoboyi an agriculture graduate who “chose doing business instead of seeking employment.”
“We are proud to have people of this caliber, who are focused and have vision to develop others. I am inspired and impressed about how this young man is showing his love for agriculture hence the department will assist by drilling a borehole so that the good work can continue.
“We want to create a generation of farmers and Yonela has showed us that, that is possible,” said Meth.
The visit and the event at Ludeke forms part of the Provincial government’s celebration of the birth of the late political activist Tata Oliver Tambo, who attended his primary school in Ludeke.
Ndzoboyi, an Agriculture Management graduate, says he was “inspired by my late father. I say I was raised to become a farmer, as everyone in this village knew how I used to hold a plough from young age when we using cattle to plant.
“I started this initiative from the funds I saved from the stipend I received when I was doing my in-service training. I was offered a job to manage a farm in Pretoria but I chose to do my own business instead of making someone else a millionare,” said the spirited young person.
He told the farmers and the community members attending the event that the industry “needs someone who does research, willing to share ideas and be exposed in good agricultural practices.”
After telling the MEC that he used to use his father’s cattle to prepare land before plant, she said “you are leaving example that its laziness that make people not venture into things because of the condition they are faced with.”
The project markets and sells its produce to hawkers, Boxer Store in Bizana and the community. The department assisted with mechanization, planting inputs and pesticides.
“All I can say about this department is that, I appreciate what it has done for me since I started in 2007. I also preach that ‘agriculture is a business and you can make life out of it.”
Development in the project includes planting of potatoes in 5ha of land in a partnership with Potato SA, this has been facilitated by DRDAR.
by Olwetu Batyi | Oct 24, 2020 | atp1
GOV AGRICULTURAL FINAL ARTWORK COMBINED A6
by Olwetu Batyi | Oct 14, 2020 | atp1
THE Eastern Cape Department of Rural Development and agrarian Reform recently held its Annual Women
Empowerment programme where MEC Nomakhosazana Meth urged women under her department’s employ to lift each other as they climb up the corporate ladder.
The two-day Women Empowerment programme took place at the East London-based Alexandre Golf course from Thursday to Friday.
According to organiser who is also director for the SPU, Lulama Manitshana the programme is meant to emancipate women and push for gender equality within and beyond the work space.
Addressing the attendees who came from all districts of province, MEC Meth said in many instances women were the stumbling blocks on each other’s progress.
Meth vehemently denounced the ‘pull her down’ syndrome which she said was prevalent among women.
“As slow as it may be but the government is working tirelessly to eliminate inequality across all spheres of life and this is evident through the ongoing changes in our policies.
But even us, ourselves, need to come to the party and become wheels of the change they want to see
“The system was anchored on patriarchy and it is us the victims who need to unite, stand up and speak in one women voice as women stop pulling each other down so a selected few can climb up and join the men up there,” said Meth.
Newsletter 12 October 2020 DRDAR women told to lift as they rise.
She said the issue of gender oppression could no longer be put on ice.
“Let’s lift each other up as we rise. We are in this together and we must fight for equality where everyone
–men and women- are able to grow in the workplace based on merit not because we want to meet a quota.
This starts with respecting the cleaner and the woman who makes you coffee and clean your office. Create an
environment where that cleaner can become the HOD in the next five years,” said Meth.
Bulelwa Lusaseni who delivered a motivational talk on the day echoed Meth’s sentiments and encouraged women to be ‘fixers’of each other’s crown.
She said the apparent division among women was a coping mechanism to male dominance.
“Women have resorted to dropping the things that seem to weigh them down so they can fly high to the top and unfortunately those ‘things’ that seem to be weighing them down are fellow women.
Let’s uplift one another because we only have ourselves,” said Lusaseni.
The empowerment session took place on a flamboyant gala dinner fashion with strict observation of the COVID-19 regulations.
