20 March 2009
Eastern Cape Premier Mbulelo Sogoni praised the department for ensuring that
the farming community was given tools to till their lands and bulls to improve
their livestock in a bid to fight poverty and underdevelopment.
Speaking during the massive hand over of tractors in Mthatha the Premier
said the current food shortages and high prices as well as the economic crisis
was the reason the provincial government is investing in farming.
He said the tractors given to the communities will mean that the province
produces enough food and that subsistence farmers become commercial
farmers.
Sogoni sang praises of Agriculture MEC Gugile Nkwinti who has introduced the
six pegs policy that is aimed at providing tractors and implements, fencing,
revival of irrigation schemes as well as capacitation of farmers.
The Premier was speaking during the hand over of 13 tractors and their
implements, two harvesters and 10 Nguni bulls in Mthatha, which was culminated
by the handing over of 24 tractors and implements, a harvester and 10 bulls in
Bhisho stadium this week.
The combined value of the implements and implements, excluding the bulls is
R19,8 million and will service the entire six districts in the province.
MEC Nkwinti vowed that the department will continue to support communal and
emerging farmers to develop to become commercial farmers.
He said that by the end of the Provincial Growth and Development Plan (PGDP)
in 2014, there must be commercial farmers that are products and beneficiaries
of the Green Revolutionâs Six Pegs Policy.
Nkwinti also urged the beneficiaries to utilise the implements effectively
in order stir the economic growth in the province. âThe reason we are handing
out these tractors and equipment is to encourage the farmers to back and work
the land for food.
âYou must take ownership of the property and take good care of it,â Nkwinti
added Agriculture departmentâs Superintendent General Adv. Amon Nyondo said the
tractors and implements were given on the basis of âuse or loseâ strategy,
where beneficiaries signed contracts with the department where the promise to
make good use of the tools.
Nyondo warned that the department may take away the tools from people who do
not use them or to those that are fighting about them. âThe contract is a means
for us to safeguard government property.
âThe contract contains a clause on proper use of the equipment and if you
donât use it you will lose it.â Nyondo explained.
The department will send experts to the communities of the recipients to
teach them about how to use and manage the facilities properly.
For more information contact:
Thozi ka Manyisana
Cell: 073 263 3754
E-mail: tmanyisana@yahoo.com
Issued by: Department of Agriculture, Eastern Cape Provincial
Government
20 March 2009
