The Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform has made great strides in the revamping of irrigation schemes in a bid to ensure that they contribute in the economic activities by creating sustainable jobs.
As part of this ongoing revitalisation of irrigation schemes, MEC Zoleka Capa cordially invites members of the media to witness the start the ploughing of 60 hectors at Ntlonze village which is part of the Qamata Irrigation Scheme in Cofimvamba.
The event, which will take place on Friday, 12 October, will see the MEC leading the planting of first seeds of maize. This programme is part of the Department’s vigorous ploughing drive that is aimed at ploughing more than 10 000 hectors of communal land of maize during this season.
The department in partnership with the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform has invested a combined R6,5 million to cover 500 by ploughing of maize, vegetables, lurcene and Soya beans at the Qamata irrigation scheme in the Chris Hani District Municipality.
The villages include Lanti, Mtyhintyeni, Zwelitsha, Maya, Entla kweFolo, Mkhukhwini, St Marks, Bolokozela and Elalini.
Other schemes in the district that have benefitted include Shiloh and Ncora irrigation schemes where the department spent a combined R44 million in developing and revamping the infrastructure.
At the Shiloh, the department spent R19 million in installation of irrigation infrastructure to support 450 hectors of land for animal feed and the erection of the state of art milking parlor. The scheme has 800 cows that are being milked and the milk is sold to Clover SA.
The injection of R25 million to Ncora irrigation scheme for the irrigation infrastructure for 300 hectors and building of a milking parlour by the department has seen the scheme producing about 14 000 litres of milking a day from the 1 000 cows they have.
The revamping of Qamata’s irrigation system infrastructure is on the pipelines to ensure that it produces lurcene and cattle feed to support both Shiloh and Ncora.
Details of the event:
Date: Friday, 12 October 2012
Time: 9h00
Venue: Ntlonze Great Place, Cofimvaba
Ayabulela Ngoqo, Departmental Spokesperson
Cell: 071 603 3235
Thozi Manyisana
Media Liaison Officer
Cell: 082 494 3600
