Question NW176 to the MS A STEYN (DA) TO ASK THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES

Reply:

How many farmers received assistance from the Government’s drought relief funding programmes in:

(aa) 2014-15

There was no drought allocation during the stipulated financial year.

(bb) 2015-16 financial year

In response to the drought calamity, the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) reprioritized 20% of CASP/ILIMA programme for all the provinces while the Provincial Departments allocated funding from their Equitable Share. These allocations were expended on small scale farmers with interventions in the following short and long term strategic focus areas, viz, animal feed, animal medications, stock water infrastructure and agricultural inputs. A total of 78 863 farmers benefitted from the allocation nation-wide.

Provincial Summary

PROVINCE	FARMERS ASSISTED
Free Sate	3418
KwaZulu- Natal	8300
Limpopo	22 524
Mpumalanga	10 670
North West	21 383
Northern Cape	2108
Gauteng	1550
Eastern Cape	8025
Western Cape	885
TOTAL	78 863

(ii) Since 1 April 2016

In the financial year 2016/17, starting from the 1st April 2016, four (4) provinces being Kwazulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Western Cape and Limpopo made available funding from their Equitable Share. These allocations were spent on animal feed and livestock water projects.

An indirect grant of R212 million is currently being implemented as approved by National Treasury for procurement of animal feed. Delivery and collection by farmers is continuing across provinces. The DAFF team is currently on ground providing support and guidance to the provinces.

The below table depicts number of farmers assisted to date under 2016/17 Drought Relief Scheme. Distributions are still continuing in all affected provinces except Northern Cape as shown on the table to cover all registered farmers:

PROVINCE	FARMERS ASSISTED
Free State	1691
Western Cape	940
KwaZulu-Natal	32354
Limpopo	3 976
North West	16 526
Eastern Cape	2122
Mpumalanga	8097

(b) What are the names of each of the farms that received assistance?

Intensive assessments and various reports provided by the provinces indicate that the impact was mostly felt in communal lands, to be specific in communal rural grazing affecting largely smallholder livestock farmers. In this kind of set-ups, farmers commonly use and equally share communal lands for livestock grazing. Commercial farming areas were also affected and are also part of the beneficiaries assisted and getting assistance with the current allocation the DAFF is rolling out. The following areas are some of the villages and commercial farms per province that are currently being serviced:

PROVINCE	Village
Free State	Petrusburg, Koffiefotein, Smithfield, Trompsburg, Sprinfontein, Bethulie, Jacobsdal, Zastron, Rouxville, Edenburg, Jaggersfontein, Reddersburg, Oppermansgronde, Luckhoff, Fauresmith, Phillipolis, Senekal, Frankfort, Kestell, Tweeling, Ficksburg, Fezile Dabi, Koppies, Lejwe Leputswa, Theunissen, Boshof, Virginia,Wesselsbron Bothaville, Verkeerdevlei, Ventersburg, Hennenman, Hoopstad, Bultfontein, Allanridge, Allanridge, Odendaalsrus
Western Cape	Soutkloof, Graatflei, Elandskloof, Vanhynsdorp, Clanwilliams, Graafwater Luitzville, Piketberg, Vredendal, klawer, Malmesbury, Morresburg, Vredenburg, Porterville
KwaZulu-Natal	Amatigulu, Mbongolwane, Nkandla etc
Limpopo	Shongoane, Moletjie, Ga-kibi, sekororo, Abbortspoort, Witpoort, Olifantspoort
North West	Robega, Madikwe, Mogwase, Brits, Mothutlung, Maubane, Ngobi. Moretele, Mahikeng Ldc, Mooifontein, Gamotlatla, Gamaloka, Putfontein, Meetmekar Verdwaal, Sspringbokpan, Bodibe, Sheila, Matile, Grassfontein, Bakerville, Lichtenburg, Moshana, Masibudule, Serake, Gopane, Borakalalo, Lobatla, Ntswelotsoku, Nyetse, Dinokana, Khunotswana, Supingstad, Lekubu, Pachsdraai Welbedacht, Mareetsane, Kraaipan, Setlagole, Madibogo, Disaneng, Makgobistad Tshidilamolomo, Moshawane, Middleton, Khunwana, Delareyville, Taung Depot Shaleng, Manthe, Tlapeng, Kokomeng, Bonabona, Tseoge, Tosca, Molelema Morokweng, Ganyesa, Christiana, Ipelegeng
Eastern Cape	Mbashe, Dutjwa, Mount Aylif, Mthata, Mount Vrere, Ngquza, Ntabankulu, Butterworth, Stutterheim,
Mpumalanga	Mkhuhlu, Coromandel Farm, Malekutu, Mzinti and Kamasimini Schoemansdal Barberton , Waaikraal 556 JR Portion 6 & 13, Matshiding - Vaalbank - Siyabushwa Marble Hall, 125 Schepeers Str, Balmoral Farm, Middelburg - Bankplaas – Loskopdampad, Mooiplaas Shed, Amsterdam Environmental Centre, Leeukop Agric Farm – Kwamhlanga, Mooiplaas Shed, Seleka Farm, Bethal Leandra Watervaalshoek Farm, Standerton , Amsterdam Environmental Centre, Nooitgedatch, Paardekraal/ Daggakraal, Thulamahashe, Coromandel Farm

(c) What amount did each farmer receive?

DAFF developed a drought framework with supporting guidelines to assist in the distribution of assistance to qualifying farmers. The framework and the response plan were presented to all stakeholders where inputs were also elicited and consensus reached from the provinces. Assistance in the form of bags of feeds is allocated based on the number of Large Stock Units (LSU) and Small Stock Units (SSM) owned by farmers. However, in some provinces this method was not practical due to the magnitude of farmers versus the funding allocated to a specific province. Provinces then used their own discretion to determine the number of bags to be given to farmers based on the degree to which a specific area/village was affected by drought. For this reason, the numbers of bags allocated to farmers differ from province to province. To date, a total of 104 086 bags of animal feed were distributed to all category of farmers. Distribution is still continuing.