The National LandCare Programme is a government-supported community-based initiative, which is active throughout the country. Driven by both the public and private sectors through partnerships and cooperation, it seeks to:
- conserve natural resources
- use them in a sustainable way
- create a conservation ethic through education and awareness
- create jobs and address poverty by launching various natural resource rehabilitation, improvement and conservation projects.
Serious concerns about land and water degradation are identified in each province and specific projects address these issues.
Projects have been implemented in all nine provinces through the LandCare Conditional Grant, whereby ring-fenced funding is transferred to provinces. Four subprogrammes, namely WaterCare, VeldCare, SoilCare and JuniorCare, are all part of the LandCare Programme.
The LandCare Programme is aligned with Government’s broader objective of job creation. The temporary jobs created under the programme are funded through the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP).
The LandCare Programme adheres to the target of 55% women, 40% youth and 2% people with disabilities as specified by the EPWP.
Funding for these projects is transferred quarterly to the respective provincial departments as implementing agents, as conditional grants under the Division of Revenue Act, 2913(Act 2 of 2013).
Assessment and reporting requirements are specified in the Act, as well as by the EPWP. The provincial departments use the reporting tools provided by the EPWP to report on the number of jobs created.
Additional monthly, quarterly and annual reports are forwarded by the provincial departments to DAFF to monitor performance and the impact of the programme on the state of the natural agricultural resources.
