21 Emerging farmers receive equipment worth R26 million
The Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform, Candith Mashego-Dlamini and the MEC of Agriculture and Rural Development, Basikopo Makamu handed over the farming equipment to small-scale farmers, cooperatives and land reform beneficiaries from all five districts in Limpopo.
POLOKWANE – Twenty-one jubilant emerging farmers and co-operations received farming equipment worth R26 million in Polokwane last Wednesday.
The Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform, Candith Mashego-Dlamini and the MEC of Agriculture and Rural Development, Basikopo Makamu handed over the farming equipment to small-scale farmers, cooperatives and land reform beneficiaries from all five districts in Limpopo.
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They received various combinations comprising tractors, trailers, boom-sprayers, maize planters, disc-harrows and mould board ploughs.
The idea behind the initiative is to create production hubs, supported by the various farmers’ production support units in the districts. The equipment was donated to them to create jobs in their various districts.
The farmers will be monitored and be given training and further support to help them utilise the equipment properly. They are to provide their own diesel, buy licences for the equipment where required and see to its maintenance and services.
Colbert Mabasa, one of the beneficiaries came from the Collins Chabane Municipality. He invited the deputy-minister to visit the farm after three months to see what he has done with the tractor he received.
He also received a trailer, plough, a disc-harrow and a boom-sprayer. He said he was creating jobs for the youth and that there is a lot of money to be made by farming. He also envisages the creation of an agricultural bank for emerging farmers. The farmers are also supported with production inputs, including fertilisers, seeds, agro-chemicals, pipes, water tankers, livestock trailers and small stock, among others.
Mashego-Dlamini, as keynote speaker, urged beneficiaries to look after the equipment, including the maintenance thereof.
She cautioned that the trailers, for instance, were not meant to transport people to funerals or carry sand. She said not only the recipients would benefit from the donations, but all people in the area they come from. Fifty-seven people who had received bursaries to study cooperative management will be deployed to districts all over the country to assist co-operatives and help train people on how to hold meetings, how to deal with conflict management, planning and accounting.
Makamu wished beneficiaries success and anticipated their migration from small-scale to massive scale farming.
He mentioned challenges experienced in the agricultural sector, such as raising input costs, the collapsed land reform schemes and others, but advised claimants to stop fighting and see to it that the land become productive.
He thanked the Department of Rural Development for the donations and said beneficiaries will never walk alone.
