Archives: News

MEDIA STATEMENT
For immediate release
26 July 2018

MARICO LISTED AS UNESCO BIOSPHERE RESERVE

Mahikeng-The official announcement of listing of Marico as a Biosphere through the United Nations Education and Scientific Organisation was made at the 30th International Coordinating Council (ICC) sessions of Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme sitting at Indonesia yesterday. The delegation led by the Head Of Department of Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development (READ), Dr Poncho Mokaila accepted the International accolade on behalf of South Africa.

This announcement took place as part of the six days sitting of the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisations’ MAB programme to establish a scientific basis for the improvement of relationships between people and their environments. MAB combines the natural and social sciences, economics and education to improve human livelihoods and the equitable sharing of benefits, and to safeguard natural and managed ecosystems, thus promoting innovative approaches to economic development that are socially and culturally appropriate, and environmentally sustainable.

The North West Department of Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development (READ) has been on an intensive process application to ensure the listing. Speaking during the acceptance session Dr Poncho Mokaila said the road to secure the honour was not easy. “The public engagement process, the development of the management plan and the compilation of the biosphere nomination dossier for the listing of the unique freshwater system was commissioned three years ago but we had to use the lessons learnt from Magaliesberg Biosphere nomination application to our advantage and to ensure that we get our facts right away,” Dr Mokaila highlighted.

MEC Manketsi Tlhape has equally expressed her delight at the honour and said the current administration has made strides in rebranding and repositioning the province. “This clearly reflects a society that has interpreted the vision of the administration so well and has lived up to the expectation of the communities,” she said. “The onus is now upon the Marico management body to ensure that the Biosphere will reach its goal of maximising conservation of the natural environment, sustainable development, advancement of research programmes and social upliftment,” she emphasised.

The Marico River is considered to be the only inland free-flowing river in South Africa which is still in a natural condition. The Marico region has also been identified as an important water recharge area, supplying clean water to surrounding communities and neighbouring countries, namely Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The Marico biosphere therefore is a good example to showcase sustainable economic, social and environmental development.

The biosphere reserve has a remarkable aquifer which is visible through the clear, unpolluted mountain streams emanating from the area. A large majority of dolomitic ‘eyes’ are located within the biosphere area. These culminate in the formation of the Groot Marico River, which at its source can be described as the southern-most distributary of the Limpopo River, located on an international border. Marico is an area of scenic beauty, unique natural features, rich natural and cultural heritage value and significant biodiversity of interest. This justified the need for its protection and sustainable utilization, which led to the listing with the Man and Biosphere Programme.

MEC Tlhape has applauded all stakeholders who supported the listing process including landowners and communities and expressed her gratitude to their dedication. She further indicated that initiatives within the Biosphere Reserve will be driven by the local community and through a public participatory approach, using an integrated management plan.

## ends ##
Issued by the 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/Agriculture/
Facebook:www.facebook.com/nwpread

MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate release
23 JULY 2018

NORTH WEST FARMERS HAIL DEPARTMENT’S CROP MASSIFICATION PROGRAMME
Famers from all four districts of the province who came in numbers to mark harvest season last Friday, 20 July 2018 in Waterford Farm near Mareetsane Village have commended the department’s crop massification programme which is aimed at assisting struggling farmers with inputs to plough arable land back into production.

The programme supports famers in various ways such as technical advice, crop production resources, marketing and provision of mechanisation.

Agriculture in the province is the most important economic activity and the provincial government has over the years given it a priority to improve food security, grow the economy and create jobs.

Although harvesting is still on-going in some parts of the province, many farmers who benefitted through the crop massification programme are reporting satisfactory yields and have praised the Department of Rural Environment and Agricultural Development for its initiatives to help disadvantaged communities to create sustainable business within the agricultural industry.
One of those farmers who has benefited from the programme is Obakeng Ezekiel Melke from Mofufutso 02 near Khunwana Village which falls under Ratlou Local Municipality.
Melke thanked the department for helping him to grow his crop farming business.
“I want to sincerely thank our government for extending helping hand to us poor communities. Today my business is growing and is all thanks to government in particular the department of agriculture in the North West Province,” Melke said.
Same sentiments were shared by Rathoto Bethuel Legoete who is also a crop farmer from Ngaka Modiri Molema in Mooifontein area. In his farm, Rathotho plant maize and sunflower. He has also benefitted from the Crop Massification Programme by the Department.
He is one of the farmers who received assistance from government after assessment in 2013. He was among group of farmers who received tractors, fertilisers and other farming equipment from government to grow their businesses.

“I want to thank everyone who is involved in this programme by government to assist us as emerging farmers in Ngaka Modiri Molema. It is through this programme by government that we were identified and assisted. We received tractors, litres of diesel, fertilisers all sponsored by government and for that I want say thank you.

Delivering a word of thanks on behalf of the farmers, Professor Wilfred Legotlo said they are happy to be witnesses to government fulfilling its promises. He said the crop massification programme by the department is a good initiative and creates a platform for them as famers to be somehow competitive.
Although there are some challenges, Professor Legotlo said they appreciate department’s response in helping farmers.
“MEC Tlhape your department has responded promptly to our challenges as farmers and we are very happy that we did not despair and that you found us active today,” said Professor Legotlo.
Speaking at the Waterford farm, MEC Manketsi Tlhape said harvest season celebration event is a thanksgiving as many farmers who benefitted through the crop massification programme received good yields.
Tlhape also said her department is solemn about fighting the challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality.

“The crop massification programme is meant to increase crop production in the province and ultimately deal with the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality.

MEC emphasised that farmers should use land available to them fully for production.
“Emerging farmers are crucial role players in local economic development and poverty eradication. We want to see them employing and training young people in farming as a liberating and viable option of economic development,” said MEC Manketsi Tlhape.
Crop Massification Programme in the province is targeting emerging farmers who are plying their trade under difficult circumstances due to a lack of resources.
Currently, smallholder and commercial farmers in Bokone Bophirima Province who received assistance in the form of crop production inputs in 2017/18 financial year are busy harvesting maize, sunflower, groundnuts and beans in a total of 16 132 hectares.
For 2018/19 year, the Department aims to plant over 14 000ha, a support that is envisaged to benefit 474 farmers across the Province. A total Budget of R50,5m has been set aside for this assistance.

###Ends###

Issued by the 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/Agriculture/
Facebook:www.facebook.com/nwpread

MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate release
02 JULY 2018

North West Province’s Outstanding Young Farmers announced

Mahikeng-North West Province through Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development Department has acknowledged the contribution and hard work the young farmers have been putting in order to place the agricultural sector of the province at the apex of local economy.
These outstanding young farmers were honoured and announced in a spectacle ceremony, held by the department last Thursday, 28 June 2018 in Zeerust Town, after a vigorous vetting process by a team of knowledgeable and well experienced independent adjudicators.
Youth in Agriculture Awards (YAA) is an annual event by the department to recognise aspiring young farmers in the province and the excellent work that they do.
The initiative is in line with government’s rural development plan which sought to promote agriculture and advocate for youth enterprise development to enable young people to have access to employment and self-employment in commercial agriculture.
Entrants were competing in the following categories; Best Youth Enterprise Award, Best Youth Entrepreneur Award, Best Innovative Enterprise Award, Best Researched Journal Award, Best Youth based Cooperative Award, best Youth Commercial Farmer Award, Best Agro-Processing Enterprise Award and the Overall Achiever category.

Chickens for Africa from Bojanala District scooped an award for Best Run Youth Enterprise and walked away with total prize money of R70, 000. The award for best emerging youth enterprise went to Lekuru Farming of Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District and they walked away with a whooping R70, 000 prize money. The Best Youth Cooperative and enterprise award went to Optimum Harvest Cooperative from Bojanala District while the Best Researched Journal award was won by Bontle Mokone (26), a Masters student in Animal Science from North West University, Mahikeng Campus.
The main winner of the day was Thabang Mokwele (31) of Thaba-Kwena Projects PTY (LTD) .
Thabang, who won this year’s award for Best Youth Commercial Enterprise and overall winner for the 2018 Young Farmer of the year, is the farm manager of Thaba-Kwena Projects PTY (LTD)
Based in Lichtenburg town, his farm specialises with broiler production. The farm was started back in 2014 but was only registered in 2016.

To date the farm has ten (10) broiler houses with capacity of 15000 birds each producing at least 150 000 birds per cycle.

Through this establishment and the support he has been getting from government, Thabang Mokwele has managed to employ twenty eight (28) employees in his farm. Out of the twenty eight (28) he has employed, eight (08) are permanent employees while the other twenty (20) are casual workers.

The farm has in the past received a financial support of nearly R1 million from the North West Department of Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development. With it the department has supported the project with payment of electricity and purchasing of feed. Over and above the farmer has been receiving monitoring and extension services from the provincial department of READ.

After announcements of the winners, Thabang said he has been entering the competition for the past three years and he is glad that he finally won in his third year. “I want to sincerely thank the Department of READ and all the people who supported me to start my business. I am where I am today because of them, and for that I want to say thank you,” said Mokwele
For those who are wishing to have their own farming businesses, the 2018 provincial farmer of the year Thabang had these words of encouragement for them “nothing is impossible”.
The Youth in Agriculture Awards is part of department’s bigger programme of highlighting the significance of agriculture and the role of young people plays in the sector
Speaking at the awards ceremony, MEC Manketsi Tlhape said the Youth in Agriculture initiative serves as a motivational gesture to the youth to accept and appreciate farming/food production as a commercial venture, thereby taking up farming as a life-time vocation.
”The youth in agriculture initiative also serve as a succession strategy which will ensure young people become farmers and succeed their old counterparts and farmer parents who are dominant in the agricultural industry,” Tlhape said.
Tlhape went further to explain that the awards ceremony seeks to acknowledge, encourage and increase participation of young people in the agricultural sector, highlight the significant role played by young people in food security and the fight against the triple challenges of job creation, economic growth and poverty and to empower young people and support their involvement in the province’s economic transformation.
The runner-ups will be placed under departmental after-care programme for mentorship.

###Ends###

Issued by the 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/Agriculture/
Facebook:www.facebook.com/nwpread

MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate release
12 JUNE 2018
TSWAING LEARNERS COMMEND DEPARTMENT’S AWARENESS WORKSHOPS ON ENVIRONMENT

Mahikeng-Learners from various schools within the Tswaing Local Municipality commended North West Department of Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development’s initiative of taking workshops on preservation of environment to their schools.

This workshops and community engagements which are currently taking place in Tswaing Municipality are part of on-going educational programme of the department aimed at sensitizing communities about the importance of maintaining the cleanliness of environment and surroundings and creating awareness on the challenges of illegal dumping areas within various communities.

One of those areas targeted by this programme for this year is Agisanang location in Sannieshof. The area has challenges of waste management and needs urgent attention.

Officials from the department working with their counterparts from national ministry of environment have been working tirelessly in this area since beginning of June month this year educating and engaging communities in order to avoid environmental degradation.

South Africa has adopted the entire month of June to heighten awareness of environmental issues through various pertinent activities.

The theme for this year’s campaign “Beating Plastic Pollution, If you can’t re-use it recycle it ” urges governments, industries, communities and individuals to come together and explore sustainable alternatives and urgently reduce the production and excessive use of single-use plastic products.

Eradicating plastics pollution begins with small, individual consumer actions such as avoiding single-use plastic products; and with recycling existing plastic products wherever possible.

Selected schools which were visited by departmental officials for workshops included Lebogang Primary, Tumisang Primary, Naledi Primary all in Ottosdal, J.S. Masisi Primary, Lillian Lehetla Secondary Primary, Phatsima Secondary, Manamolela Primary all in Atamelang, Goerge Madoda Primary in Delaryville, Refethuto Primary, and Agisanang Primary in Sannieshof.

Lerato Leroux (14yrs) a grade 7 pupil at Reatlegile Primary School in Matshelapad (Delaryville town) had the following to say after the workshop at her school: “I will share with my friends and parents what I have learned from the workshop especially about the importance of re-using plastics and recycling thereof.

“I wish that the people of Delareyville could stop littering and start protecting the environment,” concluded the 14 year old Leroux.

Another Grade 3 pupil Koketso Kgothatso of Manamolela Primary School said “The information we got is very informative and it made me aware that people in general take the environment issues for granted,” said Kgothatso.

The department will continue with this programme to other schools even after this month of June.

Apart from school workshops, the department has planned community engagements in Agisanang Township for the 15th of June, cleaning of dumping sites and selling of recyclable material on the 19th, mass cleaning campaign on the 20th and the main event will be held on the 22nd of June 2018 at Agisanang Township Stadium where MEC is expected to join the masses in promoting awareness on the importance of preserving biodiversity and encouraging change in attitude in order to save the world.

For the past decade, World Environment Day and campaigns platform have been used to raise awareness, support action and driving change.

###Ends###
Issued by the 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/Agriculture/
Facebook:www.facebook.com/nwpread