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2 Dec 2009

The department has done a thorough assessment of agricultural climatic conditions in the province and realised that severe drought conditions are occurring in most parts of the province. Weather forecasts continue to show enhanced probabilities of moderately strong El Nino conditions, with enhanced probability for below-normal rainfall totals and above normal temperatures for the 2009/10 summer rainfall season.

The worst affected areas are the whole of Mopani district, Musina and Mutale municipalities in Vhembe district, Lephalale and Mogalakwena municipalities in Waterberg district, Blouberg and Lepelle Nkumpi municipalities in Capricorn district and Fetakgomo and Makhuduthamaga in Sekhukhune district.

In anticipation of the current drought conditions, the department has already spent an amount of R24 million in the previous financial year to implement livestock water infrastructure distributed in all five districts by constructing and de-silting ten earth dams for livestock water, equipping of 130 boreholes with windmills and pumps, construction and repair of 80 drinking troughs and the installation of 10 000 litre water storage tanks to the equipped boreholes.

This financial year the department has already spent R5 million to assist both the veld fire and drought affected farmers within the province and is currently supplying livestock feed at a subsidised prices to assist both the veld fire affected farmers and the drought affected farmers for another R5 million in all the 25 municipalities. The department has requested additional funds to the tune of R38 million from National Treasury to assist the drought affected farmers in the province.

Farmers are advised to provide a lot of drinking water for livestock, sell all mature animals non breeding livestock to reduce livestock losses, build fodder reserves in years of good rainfall, limit water waste and water losses by repairing water leakages, re-cycle water, harvest and store water during rainy days.

List of departmental fodder selling depots

* Capricorn

Bochum: 30 kilometres from Dendron
Innes: 25 kilometres from Vivo
Stozenfelds: 60 kilometres from Vivo
My darling: 85 kilometres from Vivo
Zebediela 10 kilometres from Citrus project
Thabamoopo: 60 kilometres from Polokwane
Grootfontein: 100 kilometres from Polokwane
Syferkuil: 40 kilometres from Polokwane
Chloe: 50 kilometres from Polokwane
Mohodi agriculture office: 20 kilometres from Dendron
Ramokgopa agriculture office: 75 kilometres from Polokwane

* Sekhukhune

Strydkraal: 140 kilometres from Polokwane
Mecklenburg: 150 kilometres from Polokwane
Praktiseer: 200 kilometres from Polokwane
Schoonoord: 180 kilometres from Polokwane
Phokwane: 150 kilometres from Polokwane
Tompi Seleka: 140 kilometres from Polokwane
Elandsdoorn: 50 kilometres from Groblersdal
Makeepesvlei: 70 kilometres from Marble Hall
Tsimanyane: 130 kilometres from Polokwane
Apel: 120 kilometres from Polokwane
Mohlaletsi: 130 kilometres from Polokwane
Ga Nchabeleng: 120 kilometres from Polokwane

* Waterberg

Bakenberg: 50 kilometres from Mokopane
Mogalakwena: 110 kilometres from Mokopane
Witpoort: 70 kilometres from Lepalala
Mahwelereng: 15 kilometres from Mokopane
Towoomba: 8 kilometres from Bela Bela
Rust de Winter: 60 kilometres from Bela Bela
Dwaalboom: 90 kilometres from Thabazimbi

* Vhembe

NTK Nwanedi: 120 kilometres from Makhado
Klein Tshipise: 170 kilometres from Makhado
Masisi: 160 kilometres from Makhado
Gray T/C: 60 kilometres from Makhado
Ravele: 40 kilometres from Makhado
Vuvani: 100 kilometres from Makhado
Dzanani show grounds: 40 kilometres from Makhado
Malamulele: 40 kilometres from Giyani
Tshikonelo: 60 kilometres from Giyani
Lwamondo: 40km from Makhado
Hlanganani: 30 kilometres from Makhado
Makuya: 50 kilometres from Masisi

* Mopani

Berlyn: 40 kilometres from Tzaneen
Giyani: in Giyani
Belleview: 60 kilometres from Tzaneen
Sekgosese: 40 kilometres from Soekmekaar
Muyexe: 20 kilometres from Giyani
Kgapane: 60 kilometres from Duiwelskloof
Lulekane: 30 kilometres from Phalaborwa
Seloane: 60 kilometres from Gravelotte
Metz: 70 kilometres from Tzaneen

The fodder will be subsidised at:

90 percent subsidy on livestock feed for communal farmers
80 percent subsidy on livestock feed for Emerging farmers
70 percent subsidy on livestock feed for the Commercial farmers.

Enquiries:
Thembi Makhuvele
Cell: 082 803 5648

Issued by: Department of Agriculture, Limpopo Provincial Government
2 December 2009
Source: Department of Agriculture, Limpopo Provincial Government (http://www.lda.gov.za/)

Issued by: Limpopo Provincial Government
2 Dec 2009

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