Question NW1141 to the MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, LAND REFORM AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT.

Reply:

(1) With reference to her reply to question 245 on 19 July 2019, what was the (a) number of applications that the Land Bank approved subject to grant funding from her department that never materialised and (b) total monetary value of the approved applications;

(a) What was the number of applications that the Land Bank approved subject to grant funding from her department that?

From inception, 15 applications were assessed by the Funding Forum. Out of 15 applications assessed, 7 applications were approved for grant funding and 8 applications were rejected. These applications were rejected because they did not meet the criteria required.

(b) What was the total monetary value of the approved applications?

The total monetary value of the 7 approved applications was R88 731 743.00 for grant funding support. R13 million was paid so far to the approved applications as at 3 March 2019.

(2) Whether (a) any other support would be provided to the farmers since the blended finance has been suspended and (b) she communicated with all the affected farmers; if not, on what date will she communicate the type of support that would be provided to bridge the gap with all affected farmers?

(a) Whether any other support would be provided to the farmers since the blended finance has been suspended?

Farmers will continuously be supported with the existing funding support such as CASP, AgriBEE, MAFISA, Illema-Letsema and Recapitalization programme. Other support will be through Jobs Fund programme that has just been concluded that will also assisting farmers.

(b) Whether she communicated with all the affected farmers; if not, on what date will she communicate the type of support that would be provided to bridge the gap with all affected farmers?

The Minister will communicate with all the affected farmers on the Jobs Fund Programme before the end of the financial year 2019/20.