Year: 2020

Date: 22 September 2020
MIGDOL-MEC Desbo Mohono has been moved by local farmers’ act of kindness and generosity towards fellow farmers in the province. This comes after a Mamusa Agricultural Forum donateda goats, sheep, pigs, heifers and a bull to other emerging farmers from and around the Mamusa Local Municipality so they can grow their farming projects.
The forum is made up of emerging farmers and was established in 2017 with the aim of protecting and advancing the interests of local farmers, promoting the development of a viable farming industry in order to improve rural community’s standard of living and enhancing rural farming.
Speaking during the handing over of donations to beneficiaries last Tuesday, 22 September 2020 MEC Desbo Mohono said she was personally touched by the generosity of these farmers.
“I’m completely humbled and touched by this gesture. I therefore wish to thank the forum for the initiative that they have come up with and for sharing with others what they have so they can and empower themselves and go further. Not everybody gives out, but for the mere fact that they have extended a hand to help others it’s a good thing. We are so grateful as the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and we would like to encourage other farmers to do the same. We are overwhelmed by the compassion and generosity of our farmers,” elated Mohono expressed.
To beneficiaries, MEC Mohono said they must go and multiply what they have received. “If you take care of them they will take care of you,” Mohono concluded.
The forum itself identified beneficiaries whom majority were young people from the Mamusa region who are actively involved in farming and other agricultural activities.
Speaking on behalf of the forum and donors, the Deputy Chairperson Mr Kabelo Digopo said donation of these animals is part of the forum’s vision and mission of developing others. “Our vision is to see many young people taking part in the agricultural sector and the donation of these few animals is our contribution towards that vision,” Digopo highlighted.
Ofentse Seane, a young female and aspiring farmer from Ipelegeng was one of the beneficiaries. Seane thanked the Mamusa Agricultural Forum for their kind gesture. “On behalf of all beneficiaries, I wish to convey our genuine appreciation and heart-felt thanks to the forum for everything they have done for us.
“We thank them for reaching out to us as aspiring and emerging farmers and we want to assure them that we will not disappoint them. Maybe without the help from these fellow farmers our passion for farming would have died long time ago,” young Ofentse Seane went on to say.
The generosity and acts of kindness by the farmers towards fellow farmers in the province is not a new phenomenon.
Not so long ago, the Department welcomed a donation from a group of stud breeders in the North West Province who donated ten (10) Boran bulls to emerging farmers to help them improve the quality of their herds. In the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality, the passion for farming also motivated six stud breeders to donate bulls to a number emerging cattle farmers. The breeders handed over five bonsmara bulls and one Bramvee to the beneficiaries.
As MEC Desbo Mohono puts it, “the spirit of working together that we are seeing amongst our farmers will help us to grow and make the agricultural sector a more economical one thus leading to a general upliftment of the farmers and the broader communities.”
###End###
Issued by:
Communication Services Directorate
Enquiries: Ms Emelda Setlhako
Tel: 018 389 5684/ Cell: 060 745 4020
Email: ESetlhako@nwpg.gov.za
Website:www.nwpg.gov.za/dard
Facebook:www.facebook.com/dard
Twitter: @nwpg _dard

Potchefstroom –In order to advance government efforts to reduce poverty and hunger, the North West Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (NWDARD) handed over 30 culled cattle to the North West Department of Social Development (NWDSD) for them to donate meat to the needy communities in the province. MEC for NWDARD, Desbo Mohono handed over the cattle to her delighted counterpart of the Department of Social Development, MEC Boitumelo Moilwa at Potchefstroom Agricultural College on Thursday, 10 September 2020.

The cattle, which formed part of the NWDARD’s livestock research and development programme and are mainly of Nguni and Afrikaner breed, will be slaughtered for final exploration before being handed over to NWDSD. The NWDSD has identified centres such as orphanages, old age homes and homes hosting people with disabilities as well as those who care for vulnerable groups as beneficiaries of this good act.

The meat will be handed over within a week, immediately after final data collection by the NWDARD in order to avoid risks associated with contamination.

MEC Mohono said the departmental food security programme is proud to have advanced efforts by now donating meat to communities. “We have undertaken some robust efforts in ensuring our people do not go to bed without food. We did this, through our food security programme. I have led a departmental team to go communities to plant vegetable gardens and fruit trees, gave chicken eggs, indigenous chickens, goats and many other inputs. This time we are delighted as the department to donate meat. It says to us we are advancing in our quest to ensure that we alleviate hunger,” MEC Mohono quipped.

She said the departmental research unit has confirmed the cattle to be fit and will also verify after slaughtering that the meat is indeed fit for consumption. The department realises its mandate of right to food and freedom charter clause which advocates for food to be plentiful for all, it also seeks to enhance nutrition and quality of its life to the most vulnerable communities; and endorse independence. As the impacts of Covid 19 take its toll on many people, MEC Mohono said it was imperative for government to strengthen its efforts to empower communities. “The demand for food has gone higher now and it is a challenge because we have seen that many people have lost jobs. Agriculture now needs to be productive by bringing new and efficient methods to ensure that people have food”, she emphasised.

Research is one critical component as it supports the department’s contribution to the development of animal agriculture. This includes the exploration of improving livestock production systems, management practices, animal health and welfare as well as food quality and safety amongst other. Research can provide dramatic demonstrations of what is achievable and thereby encourage development. The farming communities may be reluctant to make investment in the livestock when there is probability of loses through deaths or other factors. It is through research that vaccines or genetically resistant breeds can encourage farmers to invest in improved nutrition, management and other livestock interventions.
Captions:

Media Release- Poverty reduction efforts – 10 September 2020
IMG-20200913-WA0011: MEC Desbo Mohono, MEC Boitumelo Moilwa as well as Acting Head of Department of Agriculture and Rural Development during the handover ceremony of the livestock.
IMG-20200913-WA0003: 30 Cattle have been donated to the North West Department of Social Development in order to contribute to the social relief programme.
ENDS.

Issued by
Communication Services Directorate
Enquiries: Ms Emelda Setlhako
Tel: 018 389 5684/ Cell: 060 745 4020
Email: ESetlhako@nwpg.gov.za
Website:www.nwpg.gov.za/dard
Facebook:www.facebook.com/dard
Twitter: @nwpg _dard

MEDIA STATEMENT

 

Date: Sunday, 03 August 2020

North West prioritizes Food Security

The COVID-19 pandemic is a health and human crisis threatening the food security and nutrition of millions of people around the world. Hundreds of millions of people were already suffering from hunger and malnutrition before the virus hit and, unless immediate action is taken, we could see a global food emergency. According to the general household survey of 2017 the North West Province has 1, 7 million people food insecure.

 

In the longer term, the combined effects of COVID-19 itself, as well as corresponding mitigation measures and the emerging global recession could, without large-scale coordinated action, disrupt the functioning of food systems. Such disruption can result in consequences for health and nutrition of a severity and scale unseen for more than half a century.

 

The pandemic hits us at a time of immense global challenges. There is a need to tackle all the food security and nutrition dimensions of this crisis. Addressing the COVID crisis requires all of us to work together across sectors and borders both to mitigate the immediate impacts and to reshape food systems so they support healthy diets for all and do more to make food production and consumption aligned to sustainable development.

 

Over the years Mandela day as an initiative has been used to alleviate food security. There has been more urgent need for solidarity and concerted efforts to take action against poverty while the country and world battles with a range of injustices. It is on this basis that the department intensified its message of fighting the food insecurity during the July month and the stats below highlight the food security intervention of the week ending 31 July 2020.

 

To deal with the challenges facing the province of food insecure, the North West Department of Agriculture and Rural Development MEC Desbo Mohono put the Food Security programme as the number one priority.

 

MEC has since launched a massive provincial  drive to create awareness on food security programme to enable the people in the rural areas of the North West whom are affected the most to overcome poverty and hunger also to build partnership . The department has also resolved to channel more resources towards agri-projects geared at eradicating hunger and poverty at households’ level. The aim is

 

“The seed has been planted,we are now begging to yield the results indeed we cannot force someone to hear a message they are not ready to receive but we must never underestimate the power planting a seed” said MEC Desbo Mohono on addressing the issue of food security.

 

MEC Mohono emphasis that focus should be placed on capacity building, employment creation and promoting awareness on own food production which is one way to improve food security of poor household.

 

The department so far reached 1974 households during the following activities:

Matlwang village near Potchefstroom: Food Security outreach programme

Identified households received goats, African chickens, Ponds, tunnel fingerlings, seedlings, solar panel.

 

During the World Food day celebration Ntswana le Metsing :

The focus was on sustainable projects delivered by the department as well as encouraging residents to start planting on fields that are lying fallow in order to increase food production to fight the scourge of poverty, hunger and malnutrition amongst communities.

 

World Food Day is an international day celebrated every year around the world on 16 October in honor of the date of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 1945. The day is celebrated widely by many other organizations concerned with food security, including the World Food Programme and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.

 

Collective action across 150 countries is what makes World Food Day one of the most celebrated days of the UN calendar. Hundreds of events and outreach activities bring together governments, businesses, NGOs, the media, and general public. They promote worldwide awareness and action for those who suffer from hunger and for the need to ensure healthy diets for all.

 

“It cannot be right that we are very low when we are compared with other provinces in terms of food security. We must change how we do things and have more people with access to nutritious and enough food to keep them satisfied, healthy and active”. said Mohono

 

“If we work together, we can build a future where we’re able to nourish to flourish as a province. Our plans are clear. We will continue with provincial interventions to assist impoverished and vulnerable people, promote the planting of household, school and community gardens,” MEC Mohono concluded.

 

Establishment of Backyard Gardens	17 vegetable gardens established
Distribution of Indigenous Chickens and Feed	21 households received 20 chickens and a roaster as well a 7 bags of feed
Distribution of Fruit Trees	115 households received 2 fruit trees each
Food Parcels	A total of 50 food parcels were distributed to 50 households

 

PHOKENG OUREACH PROGRAMME: EMPOWERING VULNERABLE GROUPS THROUGH AGRICULTURAL PROJECTS

In response to high levels of food insecurities and as part of the drive to fight poverty and hunger amongst local communities, MEC Mohono handed over garden inputs, planted various vegetable gardens and fruit trees in number of households and community centres in villages around Phokeng, Rustenburg. Held under the theme “Addressing Poverty & Malnutrition: the plight of Rural Women in Agriculture”, the aim of the project was to improve food security, up-liftment of community projects and to empower vulnerable groups to start working the land and producing food.

 

Ganyesa Food Security outreach Programme

100 house hold benefited from this project beneficiaries were supported with tunnels, tools, seed and fertilizer. They produce on the back yards on 10m² to 20m² for consumption and selling.

 

Marikana Food Security outreach programme benefits :

DESCRIPTION	ACTIVITIES AND SUPPORT
Establishment of Backyard Gardens	Forty one (41) vegetable gardens established for households and  three (3)  community institutions that include a rehabilitation and disability  centers
Distribution of Indigenous Chickens and Feed	5 households belonging to women and older person received 10 indigenous chickens 2 bags of feed
Garden Tools	41 households and the 3 institutions receive basic garden tool package

 

With food security programme the department want to ensure that everyone has access to food, as it is defined by the United Nations Committee on World Food Security, that Food Security means that all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their food preferences and dietary needs for an active and healthy life.

 

During the lockdown period total of 273 households were assisted with backyard gardens the number of community institutional gardens were also assisted.

 

 

 

ENDS.

 

 

Issued by:

Communication Services Directorate

Enquiries: Ms Emelda Setlhako

Tel: 018 389 5684/ Cell: 060 745 4020

Email: ESetlhako@nwpg.gov.za

Website:www.nwpg.gov.za/dard

Facebook:www.facebook.com/dard

Twitter: @nwpg _dard

MEDIA STATEMENT

Att       :  ALL EDITORS

          Media Houses

For Immediate Release

Date: Monday, 03 August  2020

 

CALL FOR 2021/2022 PROGRAMME/PROJECTS APPLICATIONS FOR FUNDING

The North West Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD), together with National Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development  (DALRRD) calls for 2021/2022 financial year funding applications for  CASP and Ilima/Letsema conditional grants. Funding will be based on two departmental prioritized programmes, namely: Animal Husbandry and Arable Farming. Funding consideration will be based on commodity value chain.

Target farmer categories for 2021/2022 funding are subsistence farmers, smallholder farmers as well as commercial farmers.

Applicants will choose to be supported with on and off farm infrastructure, production inputs, enterprise and business development, and farmer training; skills development and capacity building.

For one to apply, one must be having the following:

• Applicants will have to demonstrate keenness to farm and run a profitable business and must be registered on the Provincial farmer database. Other requirements include:
• Valid confirmation of access to land (Tittle deed, Tribal Resolution, Permission to Occupy, Minimum  5 years Lease Agreement)
• Proof of access to water for irrigation projects i.e. fruits, vegetables and other irrigated crops (water license/rights or proof of application)
• Business Plan
• Farming operation should be able to create permanent and/ or temporary jobs
• Where necessary, evidence of relevant commodity authorisations to be provided (Environmental Impact Assessments, Virgin Land Plough Certificates, Aquaculture & Fishing Permits, etc.)
• Application form completed
• Certified South African ID copy; not older than 3 months.
• Non-Government Employees or Political office bearers.

 

Priority will be given to applicants who are already farming, applicants/farms that have off-take agreements, historically disadvantaged individuals, vulnerable groups (i.e. Youth, Women and People Living with Disabilities), and applicants who have acquired land/farms privately without state assistance, farming and/or agricultural enterprises that are in line with and fit into the Agriculture and Agro-processing Masterplan (AAMP) and to applicants who have never been supported by an organ of state before.

Application forms are obtainable from all Local Agricultural Offices (LAOs) across the province and should be directly submitted back to the Local Agricultural Offices on or before 14 August 2020.

No late, faxed or emailed applications will be accepted. Applicants will be given reference number upon receipt of the application. The department reserves the right to consider any application. Successful applicants will be required to enter into funding agreement with the department. For more information, please visit the nearest Local Area Offices or contact departmental officials on the following numbers:

DR RUTH SEGOMOTSI MOMPATI DISTRICT

GREATER TAUNG LAO: Mr Thaelo Letlhogela                053 994 1975 / 072 794 0787

LEKWA TEEMANE LAO: Mr. Ogopoleng Motshabi 053 994 1816 / 072 772 8973

MAMUSA LAO: Ms. Tuelo Sebekedi 053 963 1339 / 072 781 2345

KAGISANO MOLOPO LAO: Mr. Robert Gasealahwe 053 998 3343 / 072 793 8058

NALEDI LAO: Mr. Tshetlho Makhwana  053 927 2274 / 072 795 0434

TAUNG IRRIGATION SCHEME: Mr Laurens Sephakga 053 994 2238 / 072 794 2568

 

DR KENNETH KAUNDA DISTRICT

JB MARKS LAO: Mr. Kgwarai Sebokolodi  018 297 5330 / 082 491 0637

MATLOSANA LAO: Ms. Salome Modise   018 462 2023 / 072 811 6971

MAQUASSI HILLS LAO: Mr Kgosithebe Seolwane  018 596 1168 / 072 807 1900

 

NGAKA MODIRI MOLEMA DISTRICT

DITSOBOTLA LAO: Ms. Cynthia  Gonyane 018 632 7400 / 082 949 4381

MAHIKENG LAO: Ms. Seipei Maphage  018 381 1392 / 072 784 2436

RAMOTHSERE MOILOA LAO: Mr. Rueben Moiloa 018 363 3811 / 072 780 2738

RATLOU LAO: Mr. Timothy Molema  018 368 0131 / 072 784 3210

TSWAING LAO: Jonathan Segobola              053 948 0061 / 072 786 2980

 

BOJANALA DISTRICT

RUSTENBURG LAO: Ms. Dineo Mokgatlhe 014 592 4954 / 072 804 2146

KGETLENG LAO: Ms. Dineo Mokgatlhe 014 592 4954 / 072 804 2146

MOSES KOTANE LAO: Ms Pulane Molebethe   014 553 2137 / 082 490 8531

MADIBENG LAO: Mr. Solly Molebalwa   012 709 2606 / 072 815 5485

MORETELE LAO: Mr. David Sebidi  012 714 3902 / 072 808 6784

 

For further information contact Gontse Padi 066 305 9648

 

Issued by:

Communication Services Directorate

Enquiries: Ms Emelda Setlhako

Tel: 018 389 5684/ Cell: 060 745 4020

Email: ESetlhako@nwpg.gov.za

Website:www.nwpg.gov.za/dard

Facebook:www.facebook.com/dard

Twitter: @nwpg _dard