Tshwane makes R2 million available for emerging farmers

The city of Tshwane is calling on the capital city’s emerging farmers to apply for their share of R2 million to help grow their businesses.

Mayor Randall Williams in December announced the establishment of an Emerging Farmers Development Fund to aid small and emerging farmers in Tshwane.

The initiative was inspired by two farmers who approached the mayor requesting assistance with training in financial management and access to capital, Williams said.

The metro has kick-started the fund by allocating R2 million in the form of a micro-grant to provide capital for at least 100 emerging farmers in the city.

“The micro-grant is not intended to help float the business for our emerging farmers, but is designed to assist them in procuring specific equipment and input materials that will stimulate their agribusinesses. Financial training will be provided to emerging farmers as part of this initiative,” Williams said.

Based on advice from agricultural experts, the grant will allow emerging farmers to procure drilling and equipping services for water, water tanks for storage, irrigation equipment, shade net/tunnel structures for controlled farming, seedlings and fertiliser as well as certain animal feeds.

Interested farmers who meet the prescribed requirements and currently farming in the municipality have until Sunday, 14 March 2021 to make their application, which is available on the Tshwane website.

“We believe this investment through our Emerging Farmers Development Fund will allow our emerging farmers, and the residents of Tshwane to harvest and enjoy future crops with a significantly increased yield and that the increase in their financial well-being, will be equal to the increase in their crop yield.”

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