Agriculture, Land Reform, Rural Development,Environment & Nature Conservation

19 January 2022

THE Northern Cape Provincial Government has invested an additional R6.7 million on farming implements to the Richtersveld Growers farm in the Namakwa District.

 

The Richtersveld Growers project, which is situated at the banks of the Orange river, is owned by the Richtersveld CPA, who are owners of the irrigation farms; Dunvlei, Beauvallon, Brandkaros, Beesbank and Arriesdrft.

 

The project produces maize, raisin grapes, almonds, lucern and seed potatoes.     

 

The MEC for Agriculture, Environmental Affairs, Rural Development and Land Reform, Mase Manopole visited the Richtersveld Growers farm on Tuesday (18 January 2022) as part of the commitments which were jointly made last year by the Richtersveld CPA, the strategic partners and the Provincial Government.

 

The MEC also unveiled the production implements for potatoes and assessed the readiness of the raisins harvesting season.

 

The MEC was accompanied by the Richtersveld Local Municipality Speaker, Ms. Marlene Fredericks and the ward councillor, Ryno Thomas.

 

The Department has purchased 1 x Potato Planter, 2 x Potato Harvesters and 2 x Potato Trailers, to the value of R3.2 million, for the project.

 

The Department will further purchase and donate 1 x Maize/Wheat Harvester, 1 x Drying facility for raisins and 1 x Centre Pivot, at an amount of R3.5 million.

 

Because of the potential and positive signs of growth, the Department has so far invested R8.3 million in to the Project, which will see a total production of 171 hectares of maize, 27 hectares of raisins grapes, 10 hectares of almonds, 89 hectares of lucern and 13 hectares of seed potatoes in few years to come.

 

Currently, the project has 13 hectares of seed potatoes, 54 hectares of lucern, 121 hectares of maize, and 12 hectares of raisin grapes planted at the Beauvallon farm.

 

A further 35 hectares of maize is planted at the Dunvlei farm and an extra 15 hectares of raisin grapes, 15 hectares of maize and 35 hectares of lucern in the Brandkaros farm, is under production.

 

MEC Manopole said the project, has got the potential to become one of the flagship projects in the Namakwa District.

 

"The project has created more than 60 jobs and has got a potential of creating even more jobs in the next four years or so. I would like to thank the CPA for making sure that they preserve and protect the land which was bought back to the community by government,” said MEC Manopole.

 

“We have invested a lot of money in to the project with the hope of seeing the livelihood of the people of Richtersveld and surrounding areas being restored and impacted positively. We are happy with the work that has been done by the CPA and strategic partners in making sure that they turn the project in to an economic powerhouse of the province.”

 

MEC Manopole said she has been engaging with other stakeholders such as the Land Bank and Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) to come to the fore and assist government transforming the sector.

 

With the floods from the nearby Orange river threatening food security in the area, MEC Manopole said she is working hard to get money to complete the flood wall which will cost more than R500 million.

 

The CPA representative, Abraham Cloete, said their partnership with strategic partners has seen the project growing from strength to strength.

 

He said they will require more skill transfer from various stakeholders including the Department in order to make the project grow.

 

“A lot of jobs have been created already and we are hoping to create more especially seasonal work opportunities," he said.

 

“The provision of the implements by the Department has assisted us to harvest plant and harvest more hectares of potato seeds which have been sold to commercial farmers,” said Cloete.

 

 

For media enquiries contact Zandisile Luphahla, Media Liaison Officer and Spokesperson to the MEC, on 083 391 5388.

 

ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS, RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LAND REFORM.

 

 

06 January 2022

 

The Department of Agriculture, Environmental Affairs, Land Reform and Rural Development has noted calls from members of the public on the upsurge of the flying brown locust outbreak in various towns of the Northern Cape Province (see supplied visuals below)

 

The swarm was also spotted in the interior parts of the Province, such as Upington, Kakamas, Keimoes, Sutherland and Colesberg.

 

So far, we can indicate that the locust outbreak is in a manageable state, with few flyers that have invaded some households.

 

Even though the Department has managed to control the swarm, with the recent rains we received, there is a high possibility that we can receive a huge outbreak as we already started receiving new generation in Springbok, Askham, Blad-grond, Colesberg and Sutherland.

 

The challenge with the flyers and the control time is that they can move from one area to the other in a short space of time, based on the available grazing fields and vegetation.

 

MEC Mase Manopole continues to call on the members of the public, especially those who are driving on our roads, to be cautious when driving through a locust swarm- as this can obstruct their ability to see.

 

She further called on farm owners to allow our controllers access to their farms.

 

 “I would like to thank our officials, controllers and our farmers as well as various stakeholders for their continued support to curb the spread. Without their contribution our food security will be at risk. Most importantly, I will also like to thank our communities who continue to alert us of new outbreaks that are taking place in their respective areas. Together we will be able to defeat the scourge,” said MEC Mase Manopole.

 

 

For media enquiries contact Zandisile Luphahla, Media Liaison Officer and Spokesperson to the MEC, on 083 391 5388.

 

ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS, RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LAND REFORM.