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20 March 2009

Eastern Cape Premier Mbulelo Sogoni praised the department for ensuring that the farming community was given tools to till their lands and bulls to improve their livestock in a bid to fight poverty and underdevelopment.

Speaking during the massive hand over of tractors in Mthatha the Premier said the current food shortages and high prices as well as the economic crisis was the reason the provincial government is investing in farming.

He said the tractors given to the communities will mean that the province produces enough food and that subsistence farmers become commercial farmers.
Sogoni sang praises of Agriculture MEC Gugile Nkwinti who has introduced the six pegs policy that is aimed at providing tractors and implements, fencing, revival of irrigation schemes as well as capacitation of farmers.

The Premier was speaking during the hand over of 13 tractors and their implements, two harvesters and 10 Nguni bulls in Mthatha, which was culminated by the handing over of 24 tractors and implements, a harvester and 10 bulls in Bhisho stadium this week.

The combined value of the implements and implements, excluding the bulls is R19,8 million and will service the entire six districts in the province.
MEC Nkwinti vowed that the department will continue to support communal and emerging farmers to develop to become commercial farmers.

He said that by the end of the Provincial Growth and Development Plan (PGDP) in 2014, there must be commercial farmers that are products and beneficiaries of the Green Revolution’s Six Pegs Policy.

Nkwinti also urged the beneficiaries to utilise the implements effectively in order stir the economic growth in the province. “The reason we are handing out these tractors and equipment is to encourage the farmers to back and work the land for food.

“You must take ownership of the property and take good care of it,” Nkwinti added Agriculture department’s Superintendent General Adv. Amon Nyondo said the tractors and implements were given on the basis of “use or lose” strategy, where beneficiaries signed contracts with the department where the promise to make good use of the tools.

Nyondo warned that the department may take away the tools from people who do not use them or to those that are fighting about them. “The contract is a means for us to safeguard government property.

“The contract contains a clause on proper use of the equipment and if you don’t use it you will lose it.” Nyondo explained.

The department will send experts to the communities of the recipients to teach them about how to use and manage the facilities properly.

For more information contact:
Thozi ka Manyisana
Cell: 073 263 3754
E-mail: tmanyisana@yahoo.com

Issued by: Department of Agriculture, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
20 March 2009