7 April 2004

The Western Cape government has donated R2.2-million to develop and increase the capacity of a hydroponics farm in Beaufort West in the central Karoo.

Hydroponics is the method used to cultivate plants in water without the use of soil. Nutrients are dissolved in irrigation water and fed directly to plants under controlled conditions, resulting in rapid growth and higher yields compared to conventional cultivation.

Handing over the funds, Provincial Finance and Economic Development MEC Ebrahim Rasool said the donation would help create about 80 jobs for people in the area and so help ease the burden on the state welfare system.

"What is also commendable is that 90% of the workers are women", he said, adding that the farm had also purchased two new refrigerated delivery trucks to increase the operation's capacity.

Rasool said the government will support the project to stimulate the local economy, in order to ease the unemployment situation in the area, which reportedly affects about 58 percent of the population.

According to a recent study, about 58% of Beaufort West residents are formally unemployed, about 20% are illiterate, and about 43% earn below R1 000 a month, with most residents surviving by means of casual jobs or by operating informal businesses such as spaza shops and shebeens.

"This investment will put Beaufort West on the map as a producer of high quality fresh herbs. It will empower local citizens to take hold of their destiny by running a technology-rich enterprise and inject an annual wage and salary income of more than R2-million", Rasool said.

Herbs cultivated at the farm include coriander, rocket, sorrel, lettuce, mint and basil, which are supplied to some of the major retail stores in the province.

Rasool said the project, should it prove successful, could be replicated in other parts of the province.

"A lot depends on it becoming a success. We have to establish a market for the products and ensure strong project management", he said.

Source: BuaNews

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