Question NW2233 to the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development

Share this page:

21 December 2020 - NW2233

Profile picture: Masipa, Mr NP

Masipa, Mr NP to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development

Whether she has found that there are sufficient vaccines and reagents for Foot and Mouth Disease at the Agricultural Research Centre (ARC) and Onderstepoort Biological Products to support the livestock farmers in the country in the long term; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (2) whether she will furnish the state veterinary doctor’s visitation programmes to farmers in all nine provinces for the year 2020 to date; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (3) whether she will furnish (a) reasons for the strike at ARC and (b) action plans to resolve the strike; if not, why not in each case; if so, what are the relevant details in each case; (4) whether she will furnish (a) reasons for the delay in blood samples being tested at ARC and (b) action plans to ensure that this situation is resolved; if not, why not in each case; if so, what are the relevant details in each case?

Reply:

1. Quantities of Foot and Mouth Disease vaccine are procured by instruction of the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) through the two State Owned Entities (SOEs), namely the Agricultural Research Centre (ARC) and the Onderstepoort Biological Products. These vaccines are sourced by the SOEs from the Botswana Vaccine Institute for routine vaccination and vaccination when there is an outbreak.

2. Agriculture is a concurrent function as per the Constitution of South Africa. The Provincial Departments of Agriculture are responsible for the provincial operations of veterinary services, including farm visits and schedules.

Below is the state veterinary doctor’s visitation to farmers for the financial year: 2019/20

Province

Annual Target

Pre-audited Annual Achievement ***

Eastern Cape

11 244

13 857

Free State

3 200

4 634

Gauteng

8 500

7 678

KwaZulu Natal

15 000

17 326

Limpopo

15 064

11 960

Mpumalanga

17 798

15 314

Northern Cape

6 000

6 558

North West

12 230

17 030

Western Cape

10 000

14 333

Consolidated

99 036

108 690

***Kindly note that figures are based on 2019/20 pre-audited data as reported by provinces.

Below is the state veterinary doctor’s visitation to farmers for the financial year 2020/2021

Province

Revised Annual Target

Quarter 1 achievement

Quarter 2 Achievement ***

Annual Progress to date

Annual (%) Performance

Eastern Cape

11 024

3 288

5 924

9 212

84%

Free State

2 400

547

923

1 470

61%

Gauteng

6 400

272

1 521

1 793

28%

KwaZulu Natal

20 000

3000

4 837

7 837

39%

Limpopo

3 050

1 767

2 939

4 706

154%

Mpumalanga

17 798

3 310

4 213

7 523

42%

Northern Cape

500

275

686

961

192%

North West

10 382

2 550

3 494

6 044

58%

Western Cape

10 000

1 911

3 768

5 679

57%

Consolidated

81 554

16 920

28 305

45 225

55%

*** For all figures that are highlighted in red, the data has not been verified by DALRRD

3. There is currently no strike at the ARC.

4. (a) The ARC as with many other organizations experienced delay in the procurement of laboratory reagents, mostly due to disruptions in the global supply chains of imported chemicals. (b) The ARC has made adjustments to the complement of employees as per the changes allowed in respect of managing possible impacts of Covid-19, with limited employees on site at any particular point. The ARC is now on full complement of employees to provide full services timeously.

Source file