Launched in 2004, with the aim of upgrading communal herds, the Nguni project has made major inroads in the communities and beneficiaries of the land redistribution for agricultural development (LRAD) farms in the Eastern Cape.
Since the inception of this programme run together by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and the University of Fort Hare (UFH) about 66 communities and farms have benefited in more than 1 000 Nguni cattle.
An upbeat Manager of the programme, Vuyani Somyo said the aim of the programme was to upgrade the communal herds into Nguni type and to establish Nguni nucleus herds in both communities and LRAD farms. Strides have been made by this august deed because several communities and LRAD farmers across the province are in the fourth generation of the Nguni type, which have been produced by the bulls and heifers provided to them.
Somyo explained that the basis of programme was informed by the ability of the Nguni breed to withstand the tough environmental conditions in the rural Eastern Cape and that they have an early maturity and high fertility factors.
Nguni is ideal for poor farmers and communities who cannot afford expensive cattle feed because Nguni is low input (requires less feed) breed.
The beneficiaries are given ten pregnant heifers and two bulls and they were expected to pass on the same amount of cattle to other subsequent beneficiaries. So far, nine out 13 beneficiaries that received the cattle in the 2004/05 financial year are ready to pass on the cattle, which was a positive result for the programme.
The programme is funded by IDC while the UFH provides research and training of farmers and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development provides extension services and monitoring of the projects in all recipient communities.
Somyo said: “The department is the custodian of livestock improvement in the province, hence all interested communities and LRAD farmers should consult their local extension officers who then recommend them to the programme”.
He stressed that “we do not accept any application” that does not have the blessings of the extension officers or regional livestock coordinators.
The chairperson of the IDC and UFH Nguni project board Nopetice Sefatsa, who is also the deputy president of National African Farmers Union (NAFU) in the province, said the farmers were generally excited, “we feel great about these developments”.
“We were from nowhere, meaning we had only non-descriptive cattle (imigqutsuba) but now we have pure Nguni breed. We also do not have to buy any feed and Nguni have less ticks,” Sefatsa added.
He adds that compared to other breeds, Nguni had “no complications” during birth and that they had high fertility rate, “they want a bull from a young age”.
Sefatsa said the programme has also improved the linkages with other commercial Nguni farmers, who were also giving free mentoring in other areas of the province.
“This programme of reintroducing the Nguni breed serves as a vehicle to bring back, with pride, what was systematically taken away from the African farmers. It is our cultural heritage about which we must be very proud.”
Contact:
Thozi Manyisana
Cell: 073 2633 754
Yvonne Matsheketwa
Cell: 076 868 7257
Issued by: Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
31 March 2010
