Eastern Cape Rural Development and Agrarian Reform MEC Nonkqubela Pieters will handover 144 Dohne Merino rams with superior genetics and eight sheep shearing sheds to sheep farmers in Mafinini village outside Libode tomorrow morning.
This handover is part of the ongoing programmes of the Department to commercialise agriculture in the province with a special focus on farmers in communal land, smallholding farms, farmers who received farms through government’s land reform programmes and other previously disadvantaged farmers.
With a strong 374 000 total sheep population, Nyandeni local municipality, where the Handing Over event will take place, is ranked number 3 in terms of the highest number of sheep in the OR Tambo District. There are 1 561 211 sheep in the OR Tambo District municipality. According to statistics South Africa, the Eastern Cape province produces 38% of the country’s national wool clip and 83% of mohair.
The Department gives Dohne Merino rams with superior genetics to farmers who already have sheep so that the rams improve genetics of their animals, quality of their wool and meat. During the 2022/23 financial year the Department spent about R3 million in the purchase of 380 sheep allocated to 53 farming enterprises across the province.
MEC Pieters will also speak about available market opportunities for livestock farmers including those inside and outside the country. Currently about 50,000 sheep and cattle are being loaded on a ship in the East London harbour for export to Kuwait. Some of these animals are bought from local farmers.
Four of the eight shearing sheds to be handed over by MEC Pieters are in Libode with the other four in Ngqeleni and they were constructed as part of the Department’s programme to provide infrastructure with necessary equipment to empower them to participate in the agriculture economy.
Other DRDAR investments in the area
The department invests in grain production under conservation Agriculture covering 210 ha, yellow maize production covering 1 363 ha planted in the last planting season. Furthermore, 900 households were supported with agricultural inputs towards household food security, four piggery and poultry enterprises were supported with feed. Maize will be planted on 1 020 ha of land in this area.
Members of the media are invited to attend this programme and details are as follows:
Date: 27 July 2023
Venue: Hlanganani Shearing Shed, Mafini Village (Libode).
Time: 10am
For more information please contact:
Mr Thozi Manyisana
Cell: 082 494 3600
Mvusiwekhaya Sicwetsha
Cell: 082 955 8833
