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Agri podcast: All systems go for NC drought relief

───   CHRISTAL-LIZE MULLER 11:35 Fri, 15 Nov 2019

Agri podcast: All systems go for NC drought relief | News Article

It is all systems go for the Department of Agriculture in the Northern Cape that started to roll out its Drought Implementation Plan in the drought-ridden Namakwaland.


This comes after a visit by Deputy President, David Mabuza, and the Minister of Agriculture, Thoko Didiza, to the province during which R30 million was made available by provincial government for drought relief. The department's spokesperson, Zandisile Luphahla, says regional agriculture offices have been given the mandate to consolidate the list of farmers in distress. It was, however, a slow start as farmers did not register and could not provide relevant supporting documentation. After engaging with organised agriculture the process were kick-started.

The Premier of the Free State, Sisi Ntombela, has committed the provincial government to assist farmers in drought-stricken areas with drought relief. According to her R75 million has been set aside from the budget for this purpose. Ntombela recently attended a gathering by the provincial African Farmer's Association of South Africa (AFASA) in Edenville, during which she appealed to farmers to fight poverty and the high rate of unemployment in the province. She said farming is the last hope for economic growth and job creation in especially disadvantaged areas in which there are not a lot of job opportunities. Ntombela also said unemployment among young people in the Free State is a great concern. She urged commercial farmers to support young aspiring farmers with training and mentoring.

AND

The National Council of SPCA's has opened a criminal case against the Eastern Cape's Agriculture, Rural Development and Agrarian Reform Department. This comes after they approved a shipment of at least sixty thousand sheep from the East London harbour to the Middle East last month. Council spokesperson, Grace de Lange, says the exportation came despite their campaign against the shipment of the livestock on the vessel Al Shuwaikh. According to her, NSPCA inspectors  monitored the loading process and numerous contraventions in terms of the Animals Protection Act were found prior to the vessel's departure. These include high ammonia levels on some of the enclosed decks and dirty conditions, including feces in the food and water troughs. De Lange says charges were laid against the owners of the vessel as well as the Page Farming Trust where the sheep were held.




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