MEC Meth joins grain harvest in Ngcobo
By Thozi kaManyisana
The MEC for the department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform (DRDAR) MEC Nomakhosazana Meth has lauded grain farmers at Nkondlo Administrative Area in Ngcobo for their hard work towards realising agrarian revolution and food security in the province.
Speaking at the grain harvest of Aah Zwelakhe Co-operative which is a source of employment to more than 200 people this season, MEC Meth said the work done by farmers at Nkondlo A/A was commendable and showed that the future of the agricultural sector was “brighter”.
“The future of agriculture sector is brighter because I see young people that are passionate about farming and are at the forefront of development. This sector has been treated with disdain in the past by young people but now are actively participating in their own development”
Zwelakhe Co-op is made up of 630 members with 4000 beneficiaries from surrounding villages. When it started in 2017, the cooperative produced maize from 100 hectares, but in 2019 the hectorage increased to 1700.
Between 2017 and 2019, the project has been assisted by DRDAR with “more than R10 million” said Yanga Dalasile one of the members of the cooperative.
Furthermore, the MEC announced that DRDAR has “contracted” the Co-op through their implementing agency, Dalasile Agri-Park to supply mechanisation to more than 4000 ha in Ngcobo for this coming cropping season.
Dalasile said DRDAR has supported the programme with mechanisation and inputs as well as fencing material covering about 300 ha.
He added the National department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development has also supported Aah Zanengqele Secondary Co-op, which made up of six co-ops including Aah Zwelakhe with mechanisation equipment worth R12 million.
Dalasile said apart from DRDAR, the Co-op was also working with private partners that include Humansdorp Co-op, Nciba Group Enterprise and Grain Farmers Development Association.
“We have 15 offtake agreements that guarantees that our maize goes from the fields to the market,” added Dalasile.
Chairperson of the Co-op, Tribal Siqungwana said the project had changed their livehoods. “Some of our children are employed here and the community, whose land we use, are getting annual rental income.
We are happy about this development and what the department is doing to assist us because this land has been lying fallow for many years.”
The project also produces oats that will be baled and sold as animal feed and it has a vision of opening an animal feed factory and initiating an irrigation scheme.