daff · 2013-02-14 · in these provinces. agronomist moloko mojapelo from the department of...

DAFFOfficial newsletter of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

February 2013

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DEPARTMENTAL

DEPARTMENTAL

DAFF and FAO assist smallholder farmers

Cassava not common in South Africa

Limpopo IDC Nguni Cattle Development Trust

Sugar cane production - tackling challenges

Farmers, community and government join hands at Devon

Programme fo fight youth apathy for rural development

Undercover Farming Expo

PROVINCIAL

SECTOR

SECTOR

SECTOR

The successful cooperation between the Department of Agriculture, For-estry and Fisheries (DAFF) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) continues to benefit and change some farmers’ lives. This was noticed during the Pilot Projects Capacity Building site visits that were undertaken by both DAFF and FAO officials to the six farms in Mpumalanga Province in December last year. DAFF is the main funder and the FAO a mediator of the 12 Pilot Projects Capacity Building, six in the province of KwaZulu-Natal and six in Mpumalanga Province.

This involvement has made a huge dif-ference to some farmers such as Johannes Nyalunga. His Nyalunga farm is at Umjindi in the Ehlanzeni District in Mpumalanga. The project started in 2004 (privately owned farm), and benefited from CASP. The farm used to produce tobacco in the past. The FAO focus in this project is diversification into cane production owing to high taxes imposed on tobacco and the high incidence of hail in the area.

Nyalunga, a passionate sugar-cane farmer who is starting to be successful on his farm, received assistance in the form of seed, chemical herbicides and fertilisers from the FAO. The FAO also provides him with training. Since this positive interven-tion in his life, the farmer has never looked back. He is even intending to help upcom-

By Samuel Kgatla

ing farmers.“I am proud of what the DAFF and FAO

have done for me. I have planted and nurtured what was given to me. I would not have been the farmer I am today, if it was not because of their interventions. I am a newcomer in sugar-cane farming, but have already learnt a lot. I really ap-preciate what they have done for me and must also continue to help other upcoming farmers,” he said.

The FAO monitors the six selected projects in Mpumalanga on a monthly basis, but DAFF took matters into their own hands by wanting to participate in the monitoring process. DAFF wanted to verify what is always written in the FAO’s reports about the problems and progress on the farms.

Problems are inevitable on some farms and this was the case with Silver Creek farm. The project grows banana, litchi, mango and vegetables. It is experiencing the problem of having two accounts of electricity bills, with the one being high. This is really impeding the progress on the farm.

The FAO Senior Technical Project Man-ager, Tshifhiwa Madima, promised to prio-ritise the matter to ensure that electricity is reconnected.

“In fact, we are aware of the high elec-tricity bill, but not two existing accounts.

DAFF and FAO change farmers’ lives

to p2

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Limpopo fish farming

PROVINCIAL

PROVINCIAL

February 2013 DAFFnews No. 2 2

Departmental

Editor Piwe Mbiko (012) 319 6936 [email protected] Thuli Dube (012) 319 7929 [email protected] Samuel Kgatla (012) 319 7181 [email protected] Innocent Mhlanga (012) 319 7827 [email protected] Rony Moremi (012) 319 6622 [email protected] Samson Mtumana (012) 319 7819 [email protected] Jamela Nkanyane (012) 319 6958 [email protected] Percy Sepaela (012) 319 6866 [email protected] Mercia Smith (012) 319 6666 [email protected] Lerato Mofokeng (012) 319 7927 [email protected] Willie de Jager (012) 319 6636 [email protected] Pam Sutherland (012) 319 7104 [email protected]

Website: www.daff.gov.za

DAFFnews is the newsletter of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Private Bag X250, PRETORIA 0001. It is published by the Directorate Communication Services, Private Bag X144, PRETORIA 0001.

Opinions expressed in DAFFnews are not necessarily those of the editorial team. No part of this newsletter may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system without prior permission from the editor.

DAFFnews is printed on triple green paper.

We will have a meeting with Eskom officials and see how this can be resolved quickly. We cannot afford to let this farm operate without electricity,” he said.

In addition, he said he was pleased to have DAFF officials accompanying them to projects to see the interventions and assistance of the FAO to farmers in Mpumalanga.

Other problems encountered on some farms include: market unavailability, irri-gation infrastructure needing upgrading, transformers being stolen and security. Progress was noticed with projects such as Matibidi Home-based Care, Nyalunga Farm and Lijahasisu Kulabakutsele.

Gilbert Nkoana from DAFF reiterated that they want to make sure that what is written in the FAO reports complies with what we see in the projects. “We want to find out the vision from beneficiaries and uncover exactly how the FAO has helped them. The monitoring will give us an idea of what kind of help our farmers will be needing from now on. We are excited to have farmers like you fighting hunger in this country,” concluded Nkoana.

DAFF and FAO change farmers’ livesfrom p1

Ms Jacky Smit and Mr Gilbert Nkoana from DAFF interacting with the members of the Matibidi Home-Based Care at Matibidi Village in Mpumalanga Province.

Members of the Matibidi Home-Based Care explaining their poultry farming challenges to DAFF and provincial department officials during the site visits to the projects.

No. 2 DAFFnews February 2013 3

Departmental

An international team of tree climbers arrived in Cape Town last month for a month-long expedition to climb Cham-pion Trees throughout the country.

The aim of the expedition, under the leadership of David Wiles of the United Kingdom, is to scale about 20 of the larg-est and oldest trees in South Africa – all listed under the Champion Tree Project of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

These trees include several vener-able yellowwood trees towering above the canopy of the Knysna forests, giant baobabs such as the iconic Sagole tree in Vhembe District, the matumi triad of trees at Amorentia Estate near Tzaneen known as the Three Queens and the tallest tree in Africa—a saligna gum tree growing in the Woodbush State Forest.

Passion for treesThe team shares a passion for trees and

has climbed tree giants in various parts of the world. Leon Visser, a local tree climbing enthusiast from Stellenbosch will be joining the expedition on some of the climbs. Visser has worked with the department in deter-mining the height of very tall Champion Trees that cannot be reliably established with instruments.

Currently more than 70 trees and groups of trees have been declared by the depart-ment as Champion Trees, based on criteria such as size, age and historical value. These trees are all protected under the National Forests Act.

Tree climbers have a passion for scal-ing the biggest and the oldest trees, and height is not always the defining criterion. The Sagole baobab, for example, is only 22 m tall, however a mathematic size for-mula established it as the largest indigenous tree in the country on the basis its extensive trunk circumference (more than 33 m).

Through this tree climbing expedition the climbers hope to raise awareness of trees and the need to protect our heritage. The department in partnership with the Den-

International expedition to climb South Africa’s champion trees

drological Society of South Africa assisted in organising the expedition and obtaining

necessary approval from various landown-ers and conservation authorities.

One of the trees scaled at Satico plantation, which are second tallest in South Africa.

One of the climbers, Leon near a tree’s canopy.


Departmental

Cassava is a shrubby, tropical root crop which is most frequently associated with tapioca. It originated in South America and was later introduced into Africa some years ago, where it had been cultivated for years as well. While cassava has had a long history in the rest of Africa, it is not a well-known crop in South Africa.

Cassava is drought tolerant and can grow and produce high yields in areas where maize and other crops will not fare well. This could work like magic for emerging farmers in South Africa with the current rate of rainfall and climate changes, which pose a threat to food security.

It is believed to be planted in South Af-rica in Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpu-malanga but researchers have not found many farms that are growing the plant in these provinces. Agronomist Moloko Mojapelo from the Department of Agri-culture, Forestry and Fisheries, said she has travelled to these parts of the country in search of any farmers planting the crop but could only find one female farmer in the Mpumalanga Province in 2010.

Cassava has no definite maturation point, therefore harvesting may be delayed until market, processing or other condi-tions are more favourable. This flexibility could mean that cassava can be stored in the field for several months or more, mak-ing it highly acceptable in rural areas.

Elizabeth Mathye from Malkuthu outside Mbombela in Mpumalanga has been planting cassava for the past 10 years. She sells her harvest to neighbouring communities in Mbombela and at pension points. Her customers buy the product in crates from her, then package it into small packets for resale. Mathye says she will plant her seedlings for the season before the end of the year. “I will plant again in November this year,” the farmer said.

Mathye says she started farming to make ends meet and she has managed to enrol one of her children at a college with the little that she makes from selling the crop.

By Jamela Nkanyane


She farms on 15 ha of land that she in-herited from her grandmother.

Mojapelo says the crop can be used to a few advantages such as being an alternative to staple foods like potato and maize. She says that the crop could have a commercial value of being used as a starch additive to food products.

The agronomist is uncertain of how the crop would work in South Africa to curb food security. “As for food security, I do not think it will work in South Africa because we are not used to it as a staple food,” she added.

Worldwide, cassava is a vital staple for about 500 million people. Cassava’s starchy roots produce more food energy per unit of land than any other staple crop. Its leaves are eaten as a vegetable in parts of Asia and Africa and it provides vitamins and protein. Nutritionally, the cassava can be compared with potatoes, except that it has twice the fibre content and a higher level of potassium.

The crop is not normally affected by dis-

eases or pests. However, in other regions it may be attacked by pests such as locusts, beetles and ants. Animals like rats, goats and wild pigs are common trouble makers because they feed on tubers, especially in areas adjacent to forests.

Mathye also said that she did not harvest a high yield in the previous year because cattle had grazed on her crop because of a worn-out fence around the land. The fence is her biggest challenge so far.

The Department of Agriculture is not searching for these farmers alone. An agricultural scientist at the Lowveld Ag-ricultural Research Unit, Michael Vilane, said they have also been around and have found a few other farmers in Komazi, Mpumalanga.

Mojapelo says she has submitted a pro-posal to the Agricultural Research Council in April to visit a place near the border post between Zimbabwe and Limpopo to search for a possible location for a cas-sava farm. They sat in a meeting in April and she is awaiting feed back.


Sector


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Enq: The Project Manager, Tel:(015) 294 3349, Cell: 082 4846 266

Please submit your applications to the following address:-The ChairpersonLimpopo IDC-Nguni Cattle Development TrustUniversity of Limpopo (Turffloop Campus)E-Block Office No 12

Founded in 2006, The Limpopo IDC-Nguni Cattle Development Trust is a partnership development orientatedinstitution formed by the Limpopo Department of Agriculture, Industrial Development Corporation and theUniversity of Limpopo. The objectives of the Trust is to upgrade the cattle in the rural areas of Limpopo Provincethrough the reintroduction of the indigenous Nguni cattle bloodlines and the creation of commercial benefitsfor the emerging beef production farmers.

The Trust wishes to invite applications from farmers in Limpopo Province, who wants to participate in theStud Nguni cattle farming and/ or the production of “Branded Beef” resulting from the Angus-Nguni cattlecross-breeding.

The Trust will lend to successful applicants a herd of Nguni cattle and the appropriate bulls for a period of 05years. The loan shall be repaid within a period of 05 years by a herd equivalent in number and quality to theinitial herd received or through payment a sum of money equivalent to the value of a similar herd as at dateof repayment.

Requirements:-

• Interest on farming with Nguni Cattle Breed and the production of differentiated beef;

• Own a farm suitable and equipped for cattle farming or have a long term lease in a State owned farm;

• Display entrepreneurial abilities and cattle management skills.

Applications should be accompanied by certified copies of ID, Proof of Farm Ownership or Lease/ Caretakership Agreement, short description of the farm and utilisation history and the brief profile of the applicants.

Private Bag x 1106

Sovenga

0727

Closing date:25 March 2013

If you have not received a response within 30 days after the closing date, please consider your application unsuccessful.

(Previous applicants are advised to re-apply).

INVITATION


Sector

Mpumalanga was responsible for al-most a quarter of the national produc-tion of sugar-cane during the 2010/11 production season, with sugar-cane being a major contributor to the Mpu-malanga economy and the Lowveld area in particular.

Nedbank Business Banking has always played a role in this industry and takes a positive view on future sugar-cane pro-duction.

“Nedbank believes that there is scope for growth in this sector and we have identi-fied three broad areas of opportunity as catalysts in meeting the full potential of sugar cane production in Mpumalanga,” says Antois van der Westhuizen, Nedbank Business Banking’s Divisional Manager for Agriculture in the Northern Business Unit.

“Firstly, the Lowveld lends itself to sugar cane production because of the area’s

suitable growing conditions as well as the availability of irrigation, which contrib-utes to higher average yields compared to rain-fed sugar production areas and helps reduce production risk with a greater degree of yield consistency. While a total of 44 000 ha of agricultural land in Mpu-malanga are under sugar cane, producing a total of 3,9 million ton of cane during the last production season, this represents only 0,6% of total agricultural land in Mpu-malanga,” explains van der Westhuizen. “Even though suitable land for sugar-cane production is limited, there is considerable scope for increasing sugar cane production in the area.”

This is particularly relevant, in the light of the fact that certain new technologies, such as the production of biofuels, present significant opportunities for expansion of

the local sugar industry. “The need for cleaner, more sustainable fuels has cre-ated a potential local market for ethanol,” comments van der Westhuizen. “The South African government, through the Depart-ment of Energy, recently published a policy document on the blending of biofuels into synthetic fuels. While this document is currently open for comment, it should be tabled in Parliament in the near future. The true impact of ethanol production will only become clear once the draft legislation becomes law and the full extent thereof is known. However, this could have a very positive impact on the entire sugar industry, with any surplus export production chan-nelled into bioethanol production.”

Van der Westhuizen notes that, as the trend towards increasingly larger sugar enterprises continues to gather momen-

Sugar-cane production—tackling challenges


Sugar-cane production in Mpumalanga: Exploring opportunities, tackling challenges


Sector

tum, a third significant area of opportunity in the sector has been identified, namely black economic empowerment (BEE). “A large percentage of the sugar cane grown in Mpumalanga is produced by previously disadvantaged individuals and Nedbank is currently investigating the viability of various BEE projects. We approach BEE transactions with flexible solutions, which are supported by the bank’s enterprise development, offering an aim to ensure sustainable growth of black-owned agri-related businesses,” he says. “The trend towards larger sugar enterprises and flex-ible BEE development initiatives could open the way for a new era of cooperation and collaboration between long-established farmers in the area and black-owned agri-related businesses.”

However, with the opportunities come challenges. “Certain input costs such as

electricity continue to increase, so sugar producers will have to focus continually on efficiencies and productivity to counter any cost-price squeeze effect. Economies of scale will also continue to be a factor,” comments van der Westhuizen.

“To take advantage of the opportunities and tackle the challenges agribusinesses need access to world-class agri-specific information, locally relevant advice and highly flexible financial solutions that are tailored to their unique needs,” he adds. For this reason Nedbank has a dedicated client service team based in Mbombela to serve the financial needs of sugar cane producers.

‘Nedbank’s dedicated agriculture team, comprising agricultural business manag-ers, client service and credit teams, as well as agricultural economists, offers a comprehensive range of banking products

and services to farmers and agribusinesses. We have a vested interest in the success of local businesses—we want to understand our clients’ specific business and personal goals and want to help them achieve these. As a result of Nedbank Business Banking’s decentralised model, our team understands the issues and trends specific to the sugar industry in Mpumulanga and is empowered to make quick decisions, determine fair pricing, tailor-make solutions relevant to each unique business and deliver these solutions within exceptional turnaround times.

“In essence we make things happen for local farmers and agribusinesses—transforming the bank/client relationship into a true partnership—one that benefits not only individual businesses, but also the agrisector in the Lowveld area and the economy of Mpumalanga.”



Provincial

Lwamondo is a village between Makhado and Thohoyandou Towns in Vhembe District. Ms Asnath Ma-fukasaga is one of the unemployed mothers in the area. The Mafukasaga’s family house is adjacent to a stream. Villagers along the stream grow veg-etables and field crops for household use.

One day, the small natural thing ignited war against poverty in her mind. Creati-vity to fight hunger was then continuously set in motion every time she set her eyes on the stream. The dream of fish farming developed.

In 2007, it seemed as though she was crazy in the eyes of pessimists when she constructed a 10 m x 20 m and 1,5 m deep pond to start her fish farming en-terprise. In the same year, Mafukasaga purchased 3 000 fingerlings. The follow-ing year, the farmer constructed additional ponds to make it five.

The Limpopo Department of Ag-riculture (LDA) attended the 2012 World Aquaculture Conference held in Prague, Czech Republic. The confer-ence, themed “Global aquaculture, securing our future” was organised by the World Aquaculture Society and European Aquaculture Society in co-operation with the Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters from Uni-versity of South Bohemia in the Czech Republic.

The purpose of the conference was to share knowledge and experiences concerning the affordability and cost effectiveness to sustain the aquaculture farming. “The information exchange will be done through science, technology and education which will contribute to the pro-gressive and sustainable development of

Today she boasts six ponds; two 10 m x 20 m and four 10 m x17 m big ponds. She expanded her small business after getting an income from this venture. She sells her fish in March and September while October and April are set aside for breeding purposes.

The main species are Tilapia and catfish here and there. The demand is higher than supply. The selling is done in a traditional way because the price is determined by using the size of the fish. “I hope one day I will use a weighing scale to price my produce,” indicates Mafukasaga. The ponds are always kept clean and she says her fish is fed twice a day. Regard-ing feeding, she advises that overfeed-ing should be avoided. The farmer says feeding should be limited so that the fish could look for natural feed in the lower water surface. In her view, it is warmer in that surface, which is good for fish. The

challenges the farmer faces are the lack of proper harvesting nets, birds and some wild animals which catch her fish. “I wish to have enough space for my business. There are some birds and certain wild animals that feed on my fish. I cannot afford the harvesting nets; therefore we cannot harvest enough fish not because of lack of fish, but owing to the fact that we cannot catch enough.”

“We use parachute nets, which scares them as they make a noise when you throw them into the water. I want to make my business a tourist attraction. I want to be a role model from whom the country could see that Africans can do this type of farm-ing,” says Mafukasaga, the employer of one permanent worker. The farmer credits her husband for the support he gives her. She says if she had enough space, she would increase the number of catfish due to the demand of the local market.

Limpopo fish farmingBy Samson Mabunda

aquaculture throughout the world,” said Mr Ricardo Martino, World Aquaculture Society President, in his opening. Martino said aquaculture will play an important role for food security and meet the global demand for fisheries products as the world population continues to expand and fisher-ies stocks approach their biological limits. He called upon a partnership among the East, West and South in the field of aquaculture, specifically on production models, students exchange programmes, technical cooperation, socio-economic issues, technology, breeding and mutual benefits.

LDA Aquaculture and Game Produc-tion Manager, Mr Jacky Phosa, delivered a paper on an integrated aquaculture system with reference to the Phetwane ir-

rigation scheme in Limpopo. It is the first integrated project of its kind,” Phosa said, which includes fish and crops which was initiated by the LDA in 2011 for Phetwane farmers to utilise an abandoned balancing dam for fish farming. This balancing dam was used to store water from Buffelsdoring dam before the water could be released for furrow irrigation.

The paper covered the social, legal and environmental aspects of the project including infrastructure and production development system. Other topics covered at the conference included aquaculture for rural people, pond culture, policy and regulations, genetics and biotechnology, aquaculture economics, aquaculture engi-neering, technology transfer and markets among others.

Limpopo aqua conferenceBy Matsobane Manaka


Provincial

Farmers, the community, municipal-ity and government have decided to tackle their problems together and to do something about the local com-munity’s lack of prospects.

Many projects are in the pipeline to train aspiring farmers and to create work for the community. “The economic uplift-ment of the community also means a lower incidence of stock theft and other crime afflicting farmers, as well as a more stable labour pool from which to procure workers,” said Dirk Hanekom, Executive Manager of Agri Gauteng, who is facili-tating a steering committee that manages the project. “The project is accompanied by thorough planning and our aim is to achieve tangible results,” said Hanekom. A number of Agri Gauteng members led by André Botha (who was president of Agri Gauteng at the time), his wife Louise and specifically the Nigel farmer association, decided some years ago to put shoulder to the wheel and shape the community’s future themselves.

Agri Gauteng combined the initiatives and started to share the content thereof with the local and provincial authorities. This interaction led to the initiatives being integrated with the government’s efforts in the area.

Hanekom summarised the initiative as follows: “We used the government’s plan

for rural development (the Rural Social Compact Plan) as blueprint and a contract was entered into with the government. Around this plan, workable plans were devised in conjunction with other role players in the area, such as the municipal-ity, provincial government, the provincial department of agriculture, the police, and the South African National Civic Organi-sation (Sanco).”

“Thorough planning is the watchword. The steering committee, consisting of representatives of all the relevant or-ganisations, make realistic plans without creating unrealistic expectations,” said Hanekom. For example, soil samples are taken before planting commences. The first phase of the project will start early next year with vegetable gardens, involving approximately 1 000 of the households in the area. The successful establishment of such home gardens could make an enormous difference to the lives of around 8 000 people living in Impumelelo (the black residential area of Devon), as well as in the vicinity, says ward councillor Ms Sonto Vilakazi. A course in basic live-stock handling practices, which includes aspects such as stock branding, is also on the menu. When the planting season for maize starts next year, a communal tract of land of approximately 50 ha will be planted and the proceeds distributed

among members of the community. “We are not talking about hand-outs. We want to uplift the area economically. The com-munity will be trained to take care of the farming operations. Experts will, however, keep an eye on things and ensure that maintenance takes place, while training will be an ongoing aspect of the projects,” said Hanekom.

Phase 2 of the projects will be an ex-tension of the Phase 1 projects, but will include processing of products and value adding. A feedlot, a mill, a housewife and farmer market, an abattoir and a tannery, among others, are envisaged. Various input suppliers to agriculture have pledged their support. For example, the maize and vegetable seed, chemicals and fertiliser will be donated. Experts have also prom-ised to serve as mentors for the projects. The Johannesburg fresh produce market has undertaken to support the projects and to assist with the creation of a housewife market. In due course, an academy will be established where various courses will be offered to the community. Hanekom said the project would later be extended to other areas in Agri Gauteng’s service area which are in dire need for similar upliftment projects.

Enquiries: Dirk Hanekom, Executive Manager: Agri Gauteng

Cell: 082 313 0042

Farmers, community and government join hands at Devon


Sector

In a move to improve services for livestock farming and agribusiness, the CEO of the Technology Innova-tion Agency (TIA), Simphiwe Duma, launched the newly established Tshwane Animal Health Cluster to dedicate TIA’s collaboration with the participating institutions, including the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), National Research Foundation (NRF), University of Pretoria (UP), Onderste-poort Biological Products (OBP) and the Council for Scientific Research and Industrial Research (CSIR).

The launch identified, among others is-sues, which South Africa’s animal health continues to experience serious challenges with regard to a lack of capacity of the state to maintain an acceptable animal health status.

There are a number of vacant posts in veterinary services, totalling 37%, while a

further 26% of border control personnel posts are vacant. On the other hand, OBP, which produces 15 African vaccines, is in dire need of recapitalisation.

Duma also mentioned a few problems the livestock industries are facing, includ-ing an outbreak of avian influenza, which recently resulted in the termination of os-trich exports. Meanwhile, the African horse sickness is currently having an overwhelm-ing impact on the horse fraternity.

The South African animal health market which is estimated at R6 billion and a contributor to the country’s economy has lost its niche. In order to remain competi-tive, the country has to pool its resources to tackle the challenges facing the animal health industry, Duma added.

The Tshwane Animal Health Cluster aims to revitailise animal vaccine manufactur-

TIA launches new Tshwane Animal Health Cluster

By Jamela Nkanyane

ing, which addresses diseases of strategic and economic importance. Furthermore, it will accelerate the commercialisation of animal health biotechnology products and facilitate transfer to the industry. The TIA hopes to use South Africa’s science and technology base to develop new industries, create jobs and expand the economy from commodity exports into knowledge-based industries equipped to address modern global challenges.

The Deputy Minister of the Department of Science and Technology, Derek Hane-kom, in his keynote address during the launch applauded the partner institutions for their collaboration. “Well done to the partners. The cluster cannot remain Tshwane based but must be a national cluster and we hope that you will find an appropriate name for it,” he added.

Commercial and small-scale farm-ers countrywide, especially in all the provinces, are really profiting from the biotechnology (BT) adoption. This was witnessed during a joint journalist out-reach between Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) and AfricaBio. The workshop was held at Constantia Hotel in Midrand on 25 October. The main objective of the journalist out-reach was to provide an update and milestone achievement of the WEMA project and related BT initiatives in Africa to the South African media.

Apparently, there has been an outcry about media not paying particular at-tention to WEMA and BT issues. This led to the formulation of this partner-ship between WEMA, AfricaBio and journalists.

Motlatsi Musi, a small-scale farmer

of maize in Olifantsvlei, South Africa, attested that BT really is working and that he is really profiting from it. He was chosen to participate in the programme in 2006 along with other small-scale farmers who have managed to move above the subsistence level, but still struggle to keep their farms profitable year after year. He decided to plant ge-netically modified (GM) insect resistant maize to compare the yields and quality of the final product with conventional maize, and he found the results to be extremely impressive. This made him to stick to producing GM maize. The added advantage of growing GM maize is that no spraying equipment is required to control the maize stalk-borer, making it the best available option for a resource-poor farmer.

Farmers like Malerato Mokoma, Mor-gan Tsime, Sello Moloisane, Andries Nkosi and many more welcomed BT and it has been a success to them as well.

Meanwhile, Dr Nompuleleo Obokoh from AfricaBio mentioned that it is impor-tant to have this kind of workshop to de-velop farmers. “We must work together to help our farmers in Africa. BT is being used to alleviate hunger and poverty by enabling the production of more food (maize and soya bean). Our farmers are really benefiting from BT. Our small-holder farmers are also facing challenges such as maize damages because of pest attack and we must look into that in order to help them,” she said.

Obokoh also revealed that there are many anti-GM campaigns and if they win, Africa loses a key economic technology.

By Samuel Kgatla

Farmers benefit from biotechnology


Sector

Faced with the triple challenges of high unemployment rate, rising poverty levels and increased inequalities 18 years after the country’s transition, the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DR&LR) established the National Rural Youth Service Corps (NARYSEC) to provide character build-ing programmes, as well as soft and hard skills training.

NARYSEC is focused largely in rural ar-eas and recruits and develops rural youth to perform community service in their com-munities. Applicants must be unemployed South African citizens between the ages of 18 and 35, having completed at least Grade 10 and committed to staying in the programme for its two-year duration. The programme is largely linked to the Com-prehensive Rural Development Programme (CRDP) – the country’s strategy of develop-ing rural areas into vibrant, equitable and sustainable rural communities.

Rural development is one of five key government priorities for the current Me-dium Term Expenditure Framework along with the issues of health, economic growth, education and the fight against crime and corruption.

Government aims to create social cohe-sion and development in rural communities through the implementation of the CRDP. Job creation lies at the epicentre of this programme. Currently, the programme is being rolled out in more than 60 rural sites with the aim of expanding it to 160 rural wards across the country by 2014.

According to a document seen by DAFF-news, in 2010/2011, the department’s recruitment strategy had targeted to enrol four youth per rural ward and encouraged applications from people with disabilities. Established in September 2010, NAR-YSEC’s key objectives involve, inter alia, to recruit unemployed youth in rural areas; train them through Further Education and Training programmes linked to the identi-fied developmental projects in their areas; to develop youth with multidisciplinary

Programme to fight youth apathy for rural development

By Percy Sepaela

skills through civic education; and increase the number of rural communities receiving support in their self-development through the CRDP.

NARYSEC youths are trained in House-hold Profiling, Character Building, Com-munity Service, Skills, Finishing Skills, Life Orientation and After-care.

Just recently, 1 000 NARYSEC youth participants from 3SAI Military Base in Kimberley were exposed to military discipline so that they can become more patriotic citizens. Generally, the youths have been trained on specific areas relat-ing to both rural development as well as in land reform. They have also received

training in rural disaster management which is highly appropriate as the country recently experienced disastrous floods and fires. Altogether 110 participants were identified and trained to become monitors of the environment who are in charge of environmental assessment, which involves understanding weather patterns and climate change, the Global Positioning System (GPS) and first-aid and fire-wise training.

The programme will significantly change the livelihoods of many rural communities and it is developmental initiatives as these that will deliver communities from a life of squalor and poverty.

Rural development is one of five key government priorities for the current Medium Term Expenditure

Framework along with the issues of health, economic growth, education and the fight

against crime and corruption.


Sector

Undercover farming is increasingly gaining popularity among producers and many farmers are thinking about adopting this method of farming as an alternative in the increasingly dryer climate, or to produce off-season products to improve their economic situation, says Ernst Janovsky Head of Absa AgriBusiness.

His comments confirming Absa AgriBusi-nesss’ continued support for Undercover Farming, comes ahead of the Undercover Farming Expo, an event focusing on in-tensive farming techniques and farming industries, to be held at the Saint George Hotel & Convention Centre near Pretoria from 5 to 7 March 2013.

Janovsky, says it makes perfect sense for Absa to be involved in this expo, as the time has come to invest in agriculture and more specific in undercover farming. “In analysing food security, three challenges can be identified namely whether enough food can be produced to meet demand, whether the consumer can afford the food he/she wants and if the food is safe to eat. All these challenges can be addressed through the development of undercover farming.”Can the world produce enough food?

Taking into consideration that land is limited undercover farming has the po-tential to utilise land that is not necessarily used for agriculture, like the roof tops of buildings and even the insides of buildings. This, combined with density of produc-tion as well as efficient usage of water, labour and especially transport cost, has the potential to bring production closer to the consumer.

Undercover farming also plays a major role in creating a micro climate that can be manipulated to ensure constant pro-duction and therefore to a large extent eliminates seasonality. Food is therefore

available throughout the year.Will the food be affordable?

As more than 60 per cent of the world’s population is living within urban areas, food security cannot be achieved by sub-sistence farming. Farmers will therefore have to become commercialised to be able to supply food to the urban areas. This is especially true for developing economies where the farmers are still to a large extent seen as subsistence farmers. To achieve this undercover farming can play a major role through intensification; small producers through undercover farm-ing produce surpluses on small pieces of land.Is food safe to eat?

Given the controlled environment cre-ated by undercover farming food safety standards can much more easily be man-aged to deliver high quality food.

According to Janovsky undercover farming is increasingly gaining popularity among producers and many farmers are thinking about adopting this method of farming as an alternative in the increasingly dryer climate, or to produce off-season products to improve their economic situation. “This industry is the way for the fu-ture, where the potential of agricul-tural soil in Africa will soon become the growth medium for food for the southern hemisphere.

Undercover Farming an alterna-tive in increasingly dryer climate conditions

Millions of tons of fresh produce are already produced in tunnels and success-ful schemes are being launched in Africa to affirm the continents’ contribution to food production for the masses. Absa AgriBusiness supports the development of this sector and Undercover Farming Expo is therefore exactly where we want to be at present.”

The undercover Farming Expo, which also includes a two-day conference hosted in partnership with Agribusiness in Sustainable Natural African Plant Products (ASNAPP), covers all the elements involved in production under protective cover - from tunnel construction, growth enhancements and climate conditions to seedlings, pack-aging and export opportunities.

For more information about the Under-cover Farming Expo, including information for exhibitors, sponsorship opportunities and the conference, visit www.undercov-erfarmingexpo.co.za

Given the controlled environment created by undercover farming food safety standards can much more easily be managed to deliver high quality food.

daff · 2013-02-14 · in these provinces. agronomist moloko mojapelo from the department of...

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