C Dowry: Western Cape Agriculture Prov Budget Vote 2007/08

14 June 2007

Agriculture: Land, water, people and life
Land, water, people and consequently life form the basis of agriculture.

The total budget for the Department of Agriculture in the Western Cape is
R290 212 000.

The department is divided into seven programmes that are responsible for the
day-to-day running of its own affairs and for service delivery to the
agricultural sector, in line with the vision and policies of the provincial and
national government.

1. Administration: R46 298 000
2. Sustainable Resource Management: R37 383 000
3. Farmer Support and Development: R84 586 000
4. Veterinary Services: R33 383 000
5. Technology Research and Development: R50 025 000
6. Agricultural Economics: R9 050 000
7. Structured Agricultural Training: R24 487 000

With the R290,2 million of 2007/08 we not only intend to buy tractors and
build animal housing facilities, but rather build on people's ability to
sustain themselves. Through the seeds and fertiliser we give to the food
gardeners of Khayelitsha and Philippi, we help send their children to school
with full stomachs. By awarding bursaries or giving training, we give young
people opportunities - a life full of possibilities.

By doing research and transferring the newly gained knowledge to our
emerging and commercial farmers, we help create and maintain employment and
help earn valuable foreign exchange for the province. What I'm trying to say is
that our budget buys so much more than mere goods and services. It buys hope
and progress and eventually a better Home for All.

And if you need all of this in terms of the bare facts, Agriculture in the
Western Cape contributes approximately four percent to the gross domestic
product of the region (GDPR). However, if the City of Cape Town is excluded
from the calculation, the contribution of agriculture is 14%, highlighting the
socio-economic importance of agriculture in the rural areas of the Western
Cape. Within municipal districts the contribution of agriculture to the GDPR
within each district ranges between seven percent in the Eden district and 21%
in the Overberg District.

Veterinary Services

With their just more than R33 million our vets will once again protect our
animals and consequently our citizens from harmful diseases and illnesses. Free
basic animal healthcare services are provided by Veterinary Services. An
example of this is a project centred on the Cape Flats entailing the
vaccination of dogs and cats against rabies, with simultaneous deworming
against internal parasites. A total of 43 711 dogs and cats were vaccinated
against rabies and 20 878 de-wormed in the following areas: Nyanga, Gugulethu,
Sir Lowry's Pass village, Chris Nissen Park and Makhaza to name but a few at a
total cost of R 214 386. Furthermore, the vets audit 63 red meat and 19 poultry
abattoirs in the province to ensure consumer safety and well-being. More than
150 000 tons of meat are slaughtered annually and are first inspected and
approved for human consumption.

Agricultural economics

We have to admit that in agriculture it is eventually about what makes
economic sense. For this reason we've allocated almost R10 million to our
agricultural economics programme. This year projection models will be finalised
and used for the apple and table grape industries. Studies with regard to trade
with China and India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) are also envisaged.

One of our challenges and that of farmers has always been not to merely
produce the product, but to bring the consumer in contact with it. A recent
highlight is a deal with Spar in Khayelitsha where farming groups from Delft,
Philippi and Khayelitsha are already supplying this market. Currently these
groups are co-ordinated into a single group to ensure continuity of supply.
Also, we have set ourselves a target to assist 15 groups or projects in
obtaining domestic market access through actual contracts.

During this financial year R150 000 will be spent to continue this process,
investigate specific aspects of the viability of a biofuels industry in the
Western Cape, to create a basis for consultation and to seek Cabinet approval
to embark on a call of intent. The department focuses on developing new
opportunities for regional products through Geographical Indications. An amount
of €250 000 was obtained from the European government to assist with these
investigations.

Sustainable Resource Management

On a relatively small budget our engineers succeeded to make a considerable
impact on the availability of water over the past few years. This year they
will do so again with R 36,97 million.

Die besproeiingsektor in die Wes-Kaap is verantwoordelik vir ongeveer 50%
van totale huidige waterverbruik en derhalwe aanvaar ons die
verantwoordelikheid om betrokke te wees by die vind van gebalanseerde
oplossings. Een van ons doelwitte is om die waterverbruiksdoeltreffendheid van
besproeiingsboere in die Wes-Kaap te verbeter.

Hierdie landbouwaterbesparingsprogram het reeds 'n gemiddelde verbetering in
die waterverbruiksdoeltreffendheid van tussen 12 en 15% tot gevolg gehad. Ons
gaan voort met hierdie projek teen 'n koste van R1,3 miljoen, ten einde die
optimale benutting van ons skaars waterhulpbronne te verseker.

Die boere van Matjiesrivier, onder die Swartberge by Oudtshoorn, geniet
reeds die voordele van 'n pyplynprojek van R2,6 miljoen waardeur
besproeiingswater aan hul lande voorsien word en verliese met die ou grondvore
met tussen 25 en 30% verminder is. Die pyplyn lewer terselfdertyd ook nou skoon
drinkwater aan meer as 200 mense, wat vantevore hul drinkwater uit die
grondslote moes haal.

Drinkwater en water vir veesuiping word ook deur middel van 'n pompskema aan
die boere op Kobeeberg naby Vanrhynsdorp voorsien, wat voorheen hul water oor
afstande van tot 50 kilometer moes aanry. Benewens die permanente bewoners op
die agt plase, kry ongeveer 150 seisoenswerkers ook drinkwater uit die R2
miljoen projek.

In ons LandCare Subprogram het ons verlede jaar meer as 15 000 kinders
bereik en sowat 60 projekte is geïmplementeer wat meer as 50 000 persoonsdae
werk geskep het - dit is gelykstaande aan 200 voltydse werke. Hierdie jaar sal
ons 50 projekte implementeer, 3 000 jongmense blootstelling gee, 1 000 boere
herinner aan die belangrikheid van hul hulpbronne en 25 000 persoonsdae van
werk skep.

Structured Agricultural Training

To successfully address the multitude of challenges the agricultural sector
has to face, people with a mindset conducive to change and transformation and
equipped with a relevant skills and knowledge base, is a necessity. Having a
piece of land and simply wanting to farm are not enough to ensure success. It
is only when people in addition to access to farmable agricultural land and
suitable equipment are equipped with the right mindset and knowledge and
entrepreneurial or technical skills base that we can hope to secure
agriculture's role in job and wealth creation and transforming society as a
whole.

Daar kan sonder twyfel gesê word dat ons van die beste
landbou-opleidingsinstellings in die land het.

Die Landbousektorplan van die Wes-Kaap het 'n duidelike rigting aangedui vir
die ontwikkeling van 'n omvattende menslike kapitaal ontwikkelingstrategie wat
tans op 'n inklusiewe manier deur my departement ontwikkel word. Die begroting
van Program 7: Gestruktureerde landbou-opleiding, sal primêr aangewend word om
hierdie strategie wat tans ontwikkel word, te implementeer. Van die R29,5
miljoen wat aan Opleiding toegeken word, sal: ten minste R11,2 miljoen gebruik
word vir Hoër Onderwysopleiding vir sowat 400 studente ten minste R12,6 miljoen
vir Voortgesette Onderwys en Opleiding vir meer as 2 500 opkomende boere en
plaaswerkers.

One of the key focus areas for the Department is thus "Transforming
Agriculture through Training." The department this year offers 66 bursaries to
employees, 13 to external students in the scarce or critical skills career
paths, 100 internships and 20 learnerships to empower our youth and encourage
them to consider agriculture as a career.

The additional R6 million funding promised to my department from the
National Skills Fund (NSF) will enable us to provide learnership training to an
additional 100 learners (National Farming Certificate or National
Qualifications Framework NQF four), to award an additional 50 bursaries for
Previously Disadvantaged Individuals (PDIs) and to give an additional 50
unemployed youth the opportunity to gain work experience and exposure to
agriculture through internships. This funding will primarily benefit students
from previously marginalised groups.

Technology Research and Development

In order to ensure the sustainability and competitiveness of the
agricultural sector in the Western Cape, the department has allocated more than
R50 million to Technology, Research and Development of which R10,54 million
goes for animal research, R12,58 million for plant research and R3,4 million
for resource utilisation. Our research and development effort is of pivotal
importance in generating new and cutting-edge 21st century technology for
commercial and emerging farmers and is the engine room of information for the
extension mandate of Farmer Support and Development. Two hundred and four
research projects are executed by a staff establishment of 330. In layman's
terms: these people help farmers to stay ahead; to still make money in changing
and difficult times.

The department is proud to have two dairy research centres of excellence,
one for the Western Cape at Elsenburg and one for the Southern Cape at
Outeniqua Research Farm. As 24% of the milk in South Africa originates from
these areas, the department is more than aware of its supporting role to these
milk producing areas and its farmers and for this reason invested more than R3
million in a state-of-the-art milking parlour at Elsenburg during 2006. We
recently won the trophy for the Jersey herd with the highest genetic merit in
the country.

Farmer Support and Development

The Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme (CASP) that we receive as a
conditional grant, this year amounts to more than R33 million. The aim of this
grant is to provide support to farmers by means of infrastructure and last year
we successfully assisted 5 765 beneficiaries. The CASP support has brought very
real growth to the projects and the beneficiaries are now in a better position
to produce quality food for themselves and for the market. In order to align
with the Batho Pele principle of accessibility the availability of the grant
has been advertised in all the province's local newspapers. The closing date
for applications is mid July 2007.

A total of 15 390 beneficiaries will be supported through CASP funding of
which 9 000 will be women and youth. It is envisaged that 1 302 jobs will be
created during the implementation of these projects and that 50 disabled people
will benefit.

Sentraal Karoo, ons Presidensiële node en dikwels die Aspoestertjie van die
provinsie, sal vanjaar baat vind by projekte ter waarde van R4,5 miljoen. Ons
vier dan ook vanjaar Wêreldvoedseldag in Murraysburg aangesien dit een van die
armste dorpe in die provinsie is met 'n werkloosheidsyfer van 82%.

In dieselfde asem gaan ons die hoeveelheid voedselsekerheidsprojekte, en
hiermee bedoel ek hoofsaaklik groentetuinprojekte, provinsiewyd met 20% uitbrei
en meer as R4 miljoen is spesifiek vir die Metropool geoormerk. Terwyl landbou
hoofsaaklik in die landelike gebiede gesentreer is, is hierdie een van die
maniere waarop Departement van Landbou sy bydrae lewer tot die werkloosheid- en
dus hongerstryd wat ook in stedelike gebiede hoogty vier. Vir die 15 noodareas
wat deur die Premier as prioriteit geïdentifiseer is, het ons projekte soos
volg gefinansier: Khayelitsha (R440 000), Gugulethu (R80 000), Lavendar Hill
(R90 000), Belhar (R70 000), en Phillipi (R140 000). Verder is opleiding ten
bedrae van R137 000 ook gedoen, wat die totale spandering vir voedselsekerheid
in die stedelike gebied op R957 000 te staan bring.

Issued by: Department of Agriculture, Western Cape Provincial
Government
14 June 2007
Source: Western Cape Provincial Government (http://www.capegateway.gov.za)