In April, the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Thoko Didiza, announced that the government has set aside R1.2 billion to support Small Holder and Subsistence Farmers during the country's battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. The closing date for the application was on 22 April 2020. About R400 million of these funds have been set aside for farmers who are supported through the Proactive Land Acquisition Strategy (PLAS) and R750 million for Small Holder Farmers on small parcels of land and communal land. MEC Bloem said even though there have been challenges where farmers were unable to reach district offices on time to submit, the Northern Cape managed to receive more than 8000 application forms by due date.

AND

The Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, in partnership with FishSA, and major fishing corporations and the SA Fishing Development Fund, are distributing over 10 000 food parcels to distressed small-scale and interim relief fishers across the country. To date 1 500 parcels have been distributed to assist fishers in the Overberg Region, and Southern Cape from Witsand in the west, to Bitou in the east. From today onward registered small-scale fishers in Cape Town Metro, West Coast, and Northern Cape will benefit. The Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal’s turn will be during the week of the 11th May. The Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Ms Barbara Creecy, welcomed the initiative of those who have responded to calls to assist all small-scale fishers in the country with distress relief.

OFM News