The agricultural production sites covering the Taung Irrigation Scheme will be a hive of activity as the MEC for North West Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Ms Desbo Mohono, will be turning the sod to mark the start of construction work of the Taung Agro-Hub; the first of its kind in the North West Province.
Furthermore, the sod-turning ceremony will coincide with the de-bushing of 60 hectares identified for the expansion and development of the Taung Irrigation Scheme, as a way of redressing the plight of the 176 land claimants.
The day will also mark the commencement of groundnuts harvesting at the Taung Irrigation Scheme, where the Department spent a total of R1.8 million for planting of groundnuts on 173 hectares of land.
Earmarked for the Taung vegetables producers, the R10 million worth Agro Hub project would offer smallholder farmers in the Greater Taung Local Municipality the advantage to share fresh produce market infrastructure and transport, resulting in positive economies of scale.
The facility would allow the farmers to centrally bring in their produce to the hub and subject them to cleaning, sorting, grading, packaging and labelling processes, for compliance with food safety standard.
“The establishment of a marketing infrastructure in the form of Agro-Hub”, says MEC Mohono, “would ensure adherence to market procurement standards, thus increasing volumes of products coming from smallholder producers in this area”.
The construction work will incorporate handling and processing facilities such as cooling services, processing equipment and loading facilities. MEC Mohono contends that all these are but some of the key projects aimed at contributing towards the bigger concept on the stimulation of economic activities around the Taung area.
Members of the media are invited to the activities that will unfold as follows:
Date: Monday, 19 May 2014
Time: 11h00
Activity 1: De-bushing of 60ha for expansion of Taung Irrigation Scheme
Activity 2: Sod-turning for construction of Taung Agro-Hub
Activity 3: Groundnuts harvesting walk-about
Venue: Taung Irrigation Scheme (de-bushing and harvesting), Taung Agricultural College – Sod-turning at the construction site.
Contact person:
Bonolo Mohlakoana
Cell: 082 901 2435 or 018 389 5719
Email: bmohlakoana@nwpg.gov.za or mohlakoana.bonolo@gmail.com
