Question NW1742 to the Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform
02 July 2018 - NW1742
Cebekhulu, Inkosi RN to ask the Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform
With reference to the statement of the Deputy Minister during the Debate on Vote 24 on 16 May 2018, that the department delivered 62 tractors to the Eastern Cape Province, (a) who was the recipient of each tractor and (b) was it the intention of her department to deliver them to subsistence, communal or small holder farmers?
Reply:
(a) Please refer to Annexure A.
(b) The Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR), is leading the implementation of the Agri-parks programme, which aims on transforming the rural economy through agricultural production and processing in the rural areas. Central to the Agri-parks programme is the establishment of Farmer Production Support Units (FPSUs), which are the first line of contact for farmers. Fully equipped mechanization centres are a main feature of the FPSUs.
In relation to the mechanization centres, government provides the equipment and machinery for the benefit of all surrounding farmers for their mechanization requirements. DRDLR has identified FPSUs in all local municipalities in the Eastern Cape, and out of the identified FPSUs in the Province, each district had to select the two prioritised FPSUs per district. The equipment is delivered at strategic points to enhance the production in support of the Agri-parks programme. Areas that have been identified for beneficiation were selected based on their active involvement in agricultural primary production. Benefiting farmers are ranging from communal, subsistence and small holder farmers mainly in the Sarah Baartman District.