Empowering the livestock farmers
Tongaat Hulett and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development focused on the development and empowerment of livestock farmers in traditional leadership areas.
A LIVESTOCK information day was recently hosted by the Mtubatuba Livestock Association at Mpunkonyoni.
The event was supported by Tongaat Hulett and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and formed part of a programme focusing on the development and empowerment of livestock farmers in traditional leadership areas.
Tongaat Hulett Socio-economic Development Manager Nkonzo Mhlongo said, ‘Tongaat Hulett first came into contact with the Ezisakwini cattle farmers when the company established a working relationship with the Mkhwanazi traditional leadership structure.
‘This resulted in the implementation of a sugarcane development initiative in 2013 under the communal model,’ Mhlongo said.
‘The is an innovative business model developed by Tongaat Hulett which is designed to overcome historical institutional deficiencies that have impacted the production levels of the small-scale sugarcane growing sector.’
The Mtubatuba Livestock Association represents approximately 1 400 cattle farmers who have access to 21 dips in the Mpukunyoni area.
‘Further engagements with the Mtubatuba Livestock Association, the Department of Agriculture and the Mtubatuba Municipality resulted in the establishment of an intervention programme for livestock farmers, known as the Animal Programme,’ said Mhlongo.
This gave rise to the livestock information day which attracted some 435 cattle farmers, who were addressed by representatives of the KZN Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and industry experts such as Voermol Feeds.
Themes included breeding and selection, animal feed, veld and pasture management, the importance of animal branding, marketing and veterinarian services.
