R60m land care fund for WCape
Candace Freeman
27 July 2004
Land care problems for emerging farmers in the Western Cape will soon be easier to manage, thanks to a R60-million allocation to a "LandCare" programme.
The programme is a national drive to educate and assist farmers and other rural communities in sustainable land management techniques.
Western Cape Agriculture and Land Affairs MEC Cobus Dowry said water scarcity and land degradation were among the most serious problems facing South Africa.
"Each year the treatment of soil erosion and the silting up of South Africa's dams and streams is costing us billions of rands in production losses," he said.
Since 1997, the government-supported LandCare programme has managed to reverse land degradation trends through about 500 projects in all the country's nine provinces.
The programme's main themes are WaterCare, which addresses water shortages and the silting up of waterways, VeldCare, which promotes best grazing techniques,
SoilCare, which is aimed at preventing soil erosion, and JuniorCare which involves the youth in establishing food gardens.
At a recent United Nations-African Union summit in Addis Ababa, delegates were told that Africa faces severe food shortages fuelled by poor irrigation systems, a lack of agricultural expertise and vulnerability to drought.
In addition, the continent's population is expected to grow from 830 million citizens to one billion by 2050, placing a huge burden on the continent to feed its population.
The LandCare movement underpins Africa's Millennium Development Goal of halving poverty by 2015.
"By providing technical expertise and practical, hands-on land management advice, we are helping communities to boost productivity and food security," Dowry said.
This year the Western Cape is planning to implement 20 new LandCare projects involving about 10 small farmers per project," said Francis Steyn, LandCare Programme Manager.
"These projects are run in partnership with SA National Parks, the Western Cape Nature Conservation Board, Cape Action for People and the Environment, the Department of Environmental Affairs, Working for Water and local municipalities," she said.
Meanwhile, a national conference with the theme, "Celebrating LandCare", will be held from 7 to 9 September at Elsenburg, near Stellenbosch, in a bid to share information on the best land care practices in the country.
Successful models to be showcased at the three-day conference include the Elim & Agulhas biodiversity initiative, the Slanghoek model at Rawsonville, the Olive People's Trust in the Du Toitskloof Valley, the Theewaterskloof project, the Falso project near Worcester and the Zionsberg community-based farm near Montagu.
Over 600 delegates from all over Africa and overseas, comprised of farmers, community leaders and agriculturalists are expected to attend the conference.
Source: BuaNews
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