Govt boost for small farmers
Sibusiso Mboto
18 August 2004
The Minister for Agriculture and Land Affairs, Thoko Didiza on Tuesday launched the Comprehensive Agriculture Support Programme in Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal as part of the first phase of an infrastructure development programme aimed at supporting emerging farmers in the province.
CASP is a post-settlement support programme targeting beneficiaries of land and agrarian reforms focusing on six priority areas of support, namely: information and knowledge management; technical and advisory assistance and regulatory services; training and capacity building; marketing and business development; on and off farm infrastructure and production input; as well as financial assistance.
The programme will be implemented provincially and will benefit subsistence farmers, emerging farmers as well as commercial farmers with emphasis on those communities that are worst affected by poverty.
The programme, which will be implemented in phases, will
also run concurrently with policy development for financing such as the Agricultural Credit Schemes.
It is the end result of a consultation process in which government aims to implement specific farming projects to complement land reforms and give meaning to ventures resulting from the Land Redistribution for Agricultural Development project.
Speaking at Engadini, a smallholding operated by 11 families who benefited from the land reform process, Didiza said: "What we discovered at the start of the process was that people were getting their land back but because of a shortage of skills and other forms of aid they were unable to make use of their land."
She said after careful consultation, the department enlisted help from the banking sector that was now coming on board to invest in small-scale farming.
"Today's launch marks the start of a process where emerging farmers will be provided with fences for their crops and other forms of skills and
assistance," said Didiza.
Members of the Engadini project received R80 000 for fencing and R100 000 for supporting and improving the dairy farm. The farm has 30 cows that produce 500 litres of milk daily, making it one of the most reliable suppliers in the area.
Didiza said the project challenges other farmers to learn from the process and reflected the possibilities presented by the formation of partnerships.
"Today's launch also shows that if all sectors of society from government, business and other partners become part of the process, the quest to transform the agricultural sector will be easier," she said.
Source: BuaNews
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