Question NW72 to the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development
29 February 2024 - NW72
Mbabama, Ms TM to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development
With reference to her reply to question 789 for oral reply on 29 November 2023 and her department’s strategy for expanding poultry farming in the Republic, (a) what percentage of the grant component in the Blended Finance Scheme is aimed at assisting small and mediumsized poultry producers to enter the sector, thus breaking the barriers caused by high input costs such as feed that accounts for almost 70% of production costs?
Reply:
The Blended Finance Scheme grant allocation is 100% aimed at supporting black producers and entrepreneurs along the agricultural value chain of prioritised commodities. Poultry is one of the commodities prioritised in the Agriculture and Agro-processing Master Plan (AAMP) and as such support to qualifying and bankable small and medium sized poultry producers will always receive priority. The grant allocation is not ring-fenced in percentage per commodity; the total allocation is intended to be used to support all prioritised commodities in the AAMP.