LIMPOPO – A disabled farmer, Chillyboy Rathando urged people with disabilities to regard farming as a serious business and not just to enter for competitions targeting Persons with Disability in Agriculture and Rural Development (PDARD).
“We want disabled farmers to take farming seriously and to create jobs for other disabled people. We understand that some farmers with disabilities only farm to enter the competition to receive awards.”
According to Rathando it is his wish to see many people with disabilities get involved in farming, giving advice on how to survive in this tough industry and further create jobs for other disabled people.
Rathando spoke on November 23 at the Fhulufhelo Special School where the Department of Agriculture awards ceremony, which aims to encourage and recognise the contribution by persons with disability in agriculture.
Acting district director in the department in the Vhembe region, Masindi Mariba said in the past, people with disabilities were forgotten when the department recognised farmers but since 2009 the department realised that even the people living with disabilities must be included in the awards.
“We are impressed in the way the people living with disabilities in our region are taking farming seriously. As government we want to empower and recognise individuals, co-operatives owned by persons with disabilities in the sector through food security, job creation, economic growth and poverty alleviation.”
About 11 people living with disabilities entered the competition in categories such as household consumption and informal market where each winner received R10 000 a trophy and a certificate.
The winners are Mavis Siphugu as top producer (subsistence) and Godfrey Mudalahothe (small holder).
Mudalahothe said he has 39 cattle, 60 goats, 30 sheep and six hectares where he plants crops and lytchees.
Acting Vhembe District Mayor Takalani Mundalamo said the municipality fully supports the agricultural programme and initiatives of people with disabilities, which will go along the way to address the societal challenges of food insecurity. Mundalamo said the Vhembe district, which is regarded as the food basket of Limpopo, focuses mainly on agriculture, mining and tourism.
