TO: ALL MEDIA
05 October 2020
The MEC for Agriculture, Environmental Affairs, Land Reform and Rural Development, Ms Mase Manopole, calls on all Extensive Livestock Farmers (Commercial, Emerging and Subsistence), who are currently in production in the Northern Cape and within the drought-stricken areas of the Province, to apply and re-register for the province’s drought relief fund.
The drought relief fund is a Grant Fund aimed at assisting all categories of Extensive Livestock Farmers, to purchase fodder through a voucher system, in partnership with identified Agri-businesses, who are ordinarily in the business of selling livestock fodder.
The minimum requirements for applications include the following:
- Only farmers with farms in the Northern Cape Province,
- Certified South African ID (for first time applicants, the ID copy must not be more than 3 months old),
- Valid confirmation of land tenure/ownership (title deeds, Tribal Resolution, Permission to Occupy),
- Valid Brand Mark Certificate
- A completed Application form with the relevant signatures and indicating the latest livestock numbers,
Qualifying farms are those located within the drought-stricken areas of the Province as identified through the Early Warning Committee of the Department.
The following areas will be prioritised:
ü Namakwa District,
ü Parts of Pixley Ka Seme District especially the Kareeberg Local Municipality and
ü Parts of ZF Mgcawu District especially Kai !Garib, !Kheis and parts of Dawid Kruiper Municipality.
Furthermore, there are few exclusions from the relief fund that prohibits benefits from going to:
- All farmers that qualified for the Covid-19 Disaster Relief Fund,
- Government Officials with the exception of those with valid permission as per Section 30 of the Public Service Act,
- Intensive livestock farming establishments (poultry, horses and piggeries),
- All crop production businesses and establishments,
- Any licks, drugs / medication or vaccines.
MEC Manopole urges farmers that had applied and participated in the previous year’s drought relief fund and within the drought-stricken areas to apply again for the 2020/21 drought relief. These applicants need not re-submit proof of farming and brand mark certificate. The district extension offices will confirm if these documents are still on file.
Application forms will be available at the District Extension Offices, through the relevant Organised Agriculture offices and on the Departmental Website www.agrinc.gov.za.
Closing Date
Applications will officially close on the 15th of October 2020 at 16h00.
For more information, farmers are encouraged to contact their Extension Officers or the District Managers of the Extension Services at:
District District Manager Contact details
Namakwa Darren Engelbrecht 082 560 8855
Pixley Ka Seme Ntombi Mokgalagadi 082 559 7289
ZF Mgcawu Christo Smith 082 559 6778
ZF Mgcawu Christo Smith 082 559 6778
For media enquiries contact the Media Liaison Officer, Zandisile Luphahla, on 083 391 5388
Facebook: Northern Cape Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development
Twitter: DALRRD.DENC
Instagram: NC Agric,Land&Conservation
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS, LAND REFORM AND RURAL DEVELOPMEN
Mr Zandisile Luphahla
Media Liaison Officer and Spokesperson to the MEC
Department of Agriculture, Environmental Affairs, Land Reform and Rural Development. Northern Cape
Mobile: 083 391 5388
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.