Question NW1436 to the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development

Reply:

1. (a) Nationally, approximately 15 000 applications.

(b) The total number of applications that were successful since 2020 is 1 595.

2. Yes. As an example; using just two provinces for 2023/24 financial year. Mpumalanga received 310 applications and only 22 (7%) applications were approved for funding. While in North West the province received 8 088 applications and only 68 (1%) could be approved. Reasons for this amongst others are as follows:

• Some of the applications that were declined do not have proof of land ownership/access: no title deed, no lease agreement nor permission to occupy. State resources cannot be spent on land illegally occupied.
• Some applications are declined due to conflicts amongst beneficiaries. The conflicts must be resolved first before the investment is made available from public funds.
• Availability of water for the envisaged production plays a major role in whether the projects or application will be approved. In some instances, the water source must first be identified, and authorisations be received before the project is approved for funding of infrastructure. This work (pre-funding support) gets done in all instances where production potential is established.
• The demand for support far exceeds the amount of money available (the resources from government).

The Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme (CASP) programme is only responding to 11% of the need for support as expressed through the number of applications received versus the number of applications that can be supported.