Question NW764 to the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development
04 May 2022 - NW764
Matiase, Mr NS to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development
What measures have been put in place by her department to assist small-scale farmers to create more sustainable jobs on a significant scale?
Reply:
The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) made available (in the 2021/22 financial year) R1.5 billion through the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme (CASP) and R597million through Ilima/Letsema conditional grants to ensure sustainable production and support to smallholder farmers. This support is in the form of on and off farm infrastructure, production inputs, mechanization, training and mentorship, South African Good Agricultural Practices (SA GAP) certification and livestock improvement through Kaonafatso ya Dikgomo (KyD) scheme. Through CASP, 4 524 jobs are expected to be created from 437 projects targeted benefiting 7728 black farmers, of which 4 633 are smallholder, 2901 subsistence and 194 commercial farmers. Through Ilima/Letsema, 13 567 jobs are targeted from putting 90 998ha under production supporting 29 659 farmers of which 24 125 are subsistence, 5279 smallholder and 255 commercial farmers. These targeted supports are implemented through Provincial Departments of Agriculture and monitored and verified by the DALRRD.