Government commit to fight poverty
By Thozi kaManyisana
The Eastern Cape provincial government is committed to ensuring poverty, unemployment, underdevelopment and inequality is eradicated so that the people of the province can benefit from the economic spinoffs.
This was the message relayed during a media briefing aimed at unpacking the integrated anti-poverty provincial strategy by MECs for Rural Development and Agrarian Reform Nomakhosazana Meth, Health MEC Sindiswa Gomba, Human Settlements MEC Nonkqubela Peters and MEC for Social Development and Special programmes Siphokazi Lusithi.
Speaking during the briefing held at the Bhisho Massacre Memorial, MEC Meth outlined the department’s interventions to poverty. She said the main programme that seeks to address food production at household level, which is known as Siyazondla, has a budget of R40 million for poultry and vegetable production in 20 000 households across the province.
MEC said the Department has allocated R94 million for the provision of production inputs and mechanization for grain farmers in the province. She said in this cropping season, the department was targeting 28 116ha for planting.
She said in the current financial year a sum of R15 million was allocated for vegetable production in “high potential areas”.
To improve income generation in the livestock development programme, DRDAR is working with National Agriculture Marketing Council through the Custom Feeding Program. She said 15 of the Custom Feeding Centres will be supported in 2020/21 financial year with a budget of R7 million to provide feed production, she said.
The MEC also revealed that farmers in the province had generated foreign revenue to the tune of R387 million through live exports of livestock to the Middle East.
Furthermore, the Department has supported 116 smallholder farmers with 84 bulls and 377 heifers across the province with each farmer receiving 15 heifers andone1 bull while young farmers recieved 20 heifers and 1 bull each.
She said the delivery of genetically superior bulls and heifers will continue during the financial year with a total of R93, 6 million set aside to support farmers on wool, genetic improvement, custom feeding, animal health, poultry and piggery projects. This initiative is expected to create 677 jobs in the province.
The MEC said the department is supporting black citrus farmers to increase production by 445 ha in Amathole and Sarah Baartman where the department is working with Citrus Growers Association to assist farmers to secure more funding from JobsFund in an initiative that will create 756 new jobs.
She also mentioned the deciduous fruit expansion in new areas of the province focusing in Gubengxa Valley where a total of 450 ha would be developed under apple production and is expected to create 764 jobs opportunities
The MEC said in support of antipoverty strategy, DRDAR is currently working towards constructing 71 boreholes, scooping 216 dams, 10 dip tank renovations, building of nine animal handling facilities, erection of 530 kilometres of fencing and installation of seven stock water systems. This will create 1 762 jobs, she said.
On youth development, MEC said the national Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Land Reform through the NARYSEC programme has mobilised 203 youths which were supported under the Covid-19 smallholder farmer support programme and were provided with agricultural production inputs.
She said on the internships, learnership and bursaries programme DRDAR has supported 122 youth while 114 unemployed graduates have been placed in various commercial farms and cooperatives in order to afford them an opportunity to gain hands on farm experience.
As part of ensuring that people in rural areas have access to one of the most basic rights, the MEC said DRDAR is implementing spring water protection program in Chris Hani, Alfred Nzo and Joe Gqabi where the department protects spring water and channels it to communities through pipes and taps.
Whilst irrigation schemes in Amathole, Chris Hani and OR Tambo are expected to create 3 406 sustainable jobs
“In promoting rural agro-processing initiatives, the department is operationalising five (5) in KSD, Ncora, Mbizana, Emalahleni and Tshabo. The facilities are being reconfigured to serve as demand aggregation centre for smallholder and communal producers,” said MEC Meth.
She added that the department was initiating two mechanization centres in the King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality and Elundini Municipality in support of smallholder cropping farmers and communal producers.