Agri helps Limpopo grow
During the Department of Agriculture's 2017/18 budget speech, MEC Mapula Mokaba-Phukwana announced the department is one of the sectors which contributed greatly to the growth of the Limpopo economy.
LIMPOPO – She said statistics have shown the Limpopo economy recorded 64 000 (4,8%) job increases, of which 5 000 was contributed by the agricultural economy.
When addressing the land issue, Mokaba-Phukwana said the 2016/17 year was difficult due to the natural disasters. “More than 50 000 hectares of agricultural farms that were targeted could not be ploughed. Altogether 10 000 hectares of communal land was ploughed and yield estimates are underway,” she said. She added for the 2017/18 financial year, the target is to cover more than 12 000 hectares.
The department have set aside more than R6 million to support 31 food security projects in the Ilima-Letsema programme. A total allocation for the programme in 2017/18 is R67 million. It is estimated that 15 538 farmers will receive support, 12 791 subsistence farmers, 2 718 smallholding farmers, and 29 black commercial farmers.
The overall budget for the department has increased from R1,79 billion in 2016/17 to R1,85 billion in 2017/18. The bulk of the budget is made up of equitable share of R1,53 billion and R324 million in conditional grants. The allocation for the farmer support and development is largely for implementation of farmer infrastructure projects and the provision of production inputs. The budget for this programme has increased from R1,064 billion in the previous financial year to R1,101 billion in 2017/18. Mokaba-Phukwana explained the increase is due to an increased allocation for the Ilima-Letsema condition grant, and funding for some of the identified LDP priority projects. The budget for the sustainable resource management programme has decreased from R91 million in 2016/17 to R76 million in the 2017/18 financial year. Mokaba-Phukwana said the reduction is due to a once-off additional funding of R10 million for drought relief in 2016/17 and the relocation of funding for the Resis project. The structured agricultural education and training was allocated R125 million while the rural development coordination got R5 million for 2017/18.
