MEC Nakedi Kekana.
The MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development Nakedi Kekana has embarked on supporting the operation Thibela Malwetsi Temong (Prevention of Diseases in Farming) initiative to manage crop and animal disease.
During her Budget Speech on Tuesday held at Limpopo Legislature, MEC Kekana said the department will continue to implement biosecurity measures to control both crop and livestock diseases.
As part of implementing strategic priorities, she confirmed that the Department has allocated R4,9 million under the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programmes Crop Protection pillar geared to supporting an estimated 800 farmers.
This follows the department’s main appropriation allocation for 2024/25 amounting to R1.782 billion which is an increase of R11.8 million or 0.7 percent from the previous financial year 2023/24.
“The Department is also responsible for the control of animal diseases in the province through the directorate of Veterinary Services to ensure healthy livestock herds and animal products such as meat, milk and eggs,” she added.
The department will be focussing on: • Foot and Mouth Disease: targeting to vaccinate 75 000 cattle in Vhembe district municipality (Musina, Collins Chabane and parts of Thulamela) and Mopani (Greater Giyani, BaPhalaborwa and Maruleng) with a budget of R 8 000 000.
• Anthrax and Black quarter targeting to vaccinate 300 000 cattle and Brucellosis targeting to vaccinate 30 000 heifers between 4-8 months old with a budget of R 2 000 000
• Rabies: targeting to vaccinate 55 000 dogs and cats with a budget of R1 250 000
• Dipping of communal cattle against external parasites: targeting 1 000 000 livestock units with a budget of R7 000 000.
MEC Kekana said: “In the fight against stock theft, we would like to reiterate our commitment to work with the South African Police Service, Organised Agriculture (RPO, NAFU, NERPO, AFASA) and our broader rural farming communities to fight the stock theft scourge. We have strong collaborations with the SAPS-Stock Theft Unit, and we envisage the establishment of one Livestock Pound in Mopani District – Greater Letaba Municipality as one of the stock theft hot spot areas.”
She also confirmed that Agricultural Education and Training has been allocated one hundred and forty-nine million and thirty-one thousand rand (R149 031 million) for the two Colleges of Agriculture in the Province, Madzivhandila and Tompi Seleka.
“The governance of the two colleges has been fortified through appointment of an advisory council to provide an oversight and ensure adequate support to management in the offering of both higher education and skills programmes in the Colleges,” she added.
In 2024/25, the Agricultural Economics Services Programme has been allocated Sixty-Eight Million Four Hundred and Fourteen Thousand Rand (R68 414 000) to provide timely and relevant agricultural economic services to the sector in support of sustainable agricultural and agri-business development to increase economic growth. Included in this allocation is Thirty-One Million Three Hundred and Fifty Rand (R31 350 000) million for funding of Revitalization of Agriculture and Agro Processing Value Chain (RAAVC) projects.
“The RAAVC Plan is aligned to the National Agriculture and Agro-processing Master Plan (AAMP) which aims to contribute to the expansion and increase of agricultural production across the value chain, and in turn the sector’s inclusive growth, job creation and food security as espoused in the National Development Plan, Limpopo Development Plan, and Limpopo Socio-economic Recovery Plan. RAAVC projects are under various stages of implementation with over 300 jobs created and about 1 000 000 beneficiaries benefiting from the initiative. Following the constituting of the 7th Administration (Government of National Unity) after the general elections, President Ramaphosa outlined the strategic priorities for the next five years,” Kekana added.
The MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development Nakedi Kekana has embarked on supporting the operation Thibela Malwetsi Temong (Prevention of Diseases in Farming) initiative to manage crop and animal disease.
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