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More than 300 cattle, two tractors to be handed over
15 April 2009
The MEC for Agriculture Gugile Nkwinti invites you to witness the massive handover of 330 cattle and two tractors to the farming community of Elliot in the Sakhisizwe municipal area in Elliot.
The cattle include 150 Bonsmara, 9 Simbra and 90 Simmentaler. The livestock improvement initiative is funded through government’s Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA) EC to the tune of R17 million while the handover of tractors is the MEC’s initiative that has seen about forty tractors with their implements and three combine harvesters being given to all the provincial district areas since February.
The beneficiaries of the Sakhisizwe Livestock Beef programme are stretched within 86 emerging farms in Elliot and the focus of the programme is to reap fruit in the growing and production of high quality beef heifers through the market channel developed by AsgiSA-EC.
Through this model, AsgiSA-EC will provide an interest-free loan as a “seed capital” to farmers to breed stock
The beneficiaries that receive the livestock are contracted to supply a market through AsgiSA-EC and within this process AsgiSA-EC project management team will work with the departments of agriculture, roads and transport, water affairs as well the BKB.
The collaboration with other stakeholders is held in high regard by MEC Nkwinti and in this instance it will ensure that all areas lacking on individual farms are addressed.
A benchmarking model that include calving, feed, medication, income per farm and infrastructure development and productivity will be managed through the project management office.
The livestock improvement programme is critical in the department’s bid to ensure the province do not only have many livestock but become the hub of the market place for livestock.
Details of the event:
Venue: Esikiti (2 km from Elliot)
Date: 16 April 2009
Time: 10h00
For more information about this statement please contact:
Thozi Manyisana
Cell: 073 263 3754
However, for more information on what is happening at the event and to have interviews with the MEC Nkwinti during the event contact:
Senior Communications Officer
Anele Valela
Cell: 082 817 0040
For directions to the place of the event please contact:
Mr Buhla Lali
Cell: 078 649 3188
Issued by Department of Agriculture, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
15 April 2009