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.