22 November 2006
The MEC for the Department of Agriculture, Mr Gugile Nkwinti, will visit
Israel on Monday, 27 November 2006, to join 14 delegates; comprising six
representatives from the irrigation schemes, three from the department, three
from Chris Hani Municipality and two from Amathole District who have already
departed this morning Wednesday, 22 November 2006.
The department is in partnership with the Local Municipalities with
objectives to fulfil the vision of the New Partnership for Africa's Development
(NEPAD), which is to expand land under irrigation and infrastructural
development which are also the fundamentals of this country to better the lives
of our people. This is also one of the Six Peg Policy, Human Resource
Development which is aimed at training the farmers as well as the extension
officers to develop Agriculture in the province.
About six irrigation schemes in the province are in the process of
revitalisation; therefore these farmers will be shown how the people of Israel
manage their irrigation schemes and also for information exchange purposes. Mr
Zukile Pityi, General Manager for Agriculture and Rural Development mentioned
that the about 1,3 million hectors need to be irrigated in the country and the
Eastern Cape has to be responding to that as it is also affected and also to
respond to the call of the Accelerated Shared Growth Initiative of South Africa
(AsgiSA).
The chairperson of the irrigation scheme at Ncorha, Mr Howard Memani, who is
also visiting Israel said, "We are going there with humility and determination
and do our best to do exactly the mandate we are given by the department." The
Head of the Department, Mr Amon Nyondo, mentioned that also the chiefs will in
future be involved in the training because they are the main pillars of our
communities; therefore they should also be knowledgeable in whatever is
involving the community. He said, "We don't want to train the officials on
these skills because they leave the department and are employed in other
provinces with the expertise we have given them; therefore the department is
losing, hence we decided to train these farmers and chiefs."
Enquiries:
Zoleka Dondolo
Tel: (040) 609 3965
Cell: 082 771 7152
Enquiries:
Fikile Black
Tel: (040) 609 3486
Cell: 082 578 1437
Issued by: Department of Agriculture, Eastern Cape Provincial
Government
22 November 2006
Source: Eastern Cape Provincial Government (http://www.ecprov.gov.za)
