Question NW2103 to the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and FisheriesQUESTION

Reply:

The Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) guides that the input support program must be needs-driven, flexible and easy to access, and should provide resources based on the quality of the project or farm proposals. As a result, there is no one size fits all input support package that is provided, but the farmer receives the inputs based on the technical assessment reports and needs identified. E.g. one farmer may receive seeds, fertilizer, chemicals and diesel and the other farmer may need only seeds and fertilizer.

The production inputs includes seed, fertilizer, pesticides, herbicides and fuel for crop production and animal fodder including licks, animal medicine and vaccines, and insecticides (dips) for animal production.

The crops that are supported are guided by the prioritised commodities in the Agriculture Policy Action Plan implemented through the Revitalization of the Agriculture and Agro-processing Value Chains. The crops prioritized are the following:

a) Grains (Maize, wheat, beans, sorghum)

b) Sunflower

c) Vegetables

d) Fruits

e) Sugarcane

f) Macadamia nuts

g) Rooibos tea