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ZIWAPHI • VOL 4 NO 5 • 12 - 25 MARCH 2010

NELSPRUIT

The allocation of money for agricultural grants as set out in Mpumalanga’s new budget has drawn cautious optimism from emerging farmers in Mpumalanga.

Tabling her R26-billion budget in Nelspruit on Tuesday, finance MEC Pinky Phosa said her department would give money to the agricultural support programme, the land care programme, and the Ilima/Letsema (farming) projects.

All the grants are aimed at boosting agricultural production, but farmers say this will only happen if the department of agriculture, rural development and land administration monitors the funds effectively.

“It is useless to have such impressive amounts spent on grants if they end up with people who are not interested in farming,” said the chairperson of the Nkomazi Agricultural Development Organisation (NADO), Pitrus Sithole.

“Some of the criteria that are used when handing over these grants are questionable and vulnerable to corruption,” he added.

Sithole said grants for the comprehensive agricultural support programme, which will get R81.947-million in 2010/2011 and is aimed at providing support for newly established and emerging farmers, often did not reach “deserving” farmers.

“The department must assist those who progress in farming instead of giving grants to those who have good business plans but little to show in action,” he said.

The agricultural support programme grant includes the extension recovery programme, which focuses on improving extension services through training programmes and better resources for extension officers.

It has been allocated R81.947-million in 2010/2011, R95.691-million in 2011/2012, and R100.475- million in 2012/2013.

The grant also targets farm infrastructure and provides support for dipping, fencing and the rehabilitation of irrigation schemes. _The land care programme, which focuses on poverty relief and infrastructure development, is aimed at optimising productivity and the sustainable use of natural resources such as vegetation. _It has been allocated relatively little money with R4.904-million in 2010/2011, R5.198-million in 2011/2012, and R5.458-million in 2012/1013.

The Ilima/Letsema projects grant, which is intended to boost food production by assisting previously disadvantaged South African farming communities with agricultural starter packs such as seeds, fertilisers and ploughing equipment, will receive R20-million in 2010/2-11, R40-million in 2011/2012, and R42-million in 2012/2013.

The finance department’s contribution towards the comprehensive rural development programme will amount to R107-million in 2010/2011 in conditional grants. _Phosa said the department of agriculture, rural development and land administration would receive a total amount of R737.936-million in grants.