This year’s Multi-Planting Season campaign in KwaZulu-Natal was officially launched this week with premier Sihle Zikalala announcing that R65.3 million was set aside to assist farmers.
The programme is set to benefit a total of 10 800 small-scale producers cultivating 25 000 hectares in the province and is a provincial government initiative to protect residents’ fundamental right to dignity and to be free from hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition.
It is an annual campaign and a call for farmers to begin planting in October, in preparation for an abundant, fresh, and nutritious harvest of food before the following year’s autumn season.
Small-scale producers will be supported with farming equipment and access to markets, among others.
Launching district to district
According to Mack Makhathini, the KZN department of agriculture and rural development’s media liaison officer, the launch took place in Bergville in the uThukela district. Approximately 350 farmers from the district were invited.
Makhathini tells Food For Mzansi that although the number of farmers were limited to adhere to Covid-19 regulations, the launch went ahead according to the tradition.
“Every year the premier goes to a different district to launch the Multi-Planting Season campaign. Last year we were in Umzumkhulu in the Harry Gwala district and, maybe, next year we might go to the Zululand district.”
He says that from next week, all MECs will visit different districts for more launch events across the province.
According to Makhathini, 350 small-scale and aspiring farmers will be assisted in each district to grow their farms through the Multi-Planting Season campaign.
“Most of these small-scale farmers are people we are already supporting,” he says, and adds that farmers can request help with specific aspects of their farming operations.
“Maybe a cooperative has 50 hectares of land that they are farming on, but they don’t have markets. Or they need farming equipment such as tractors, so we assist them,” he explains.
How are the farmers selected?
Makhathini explains that the beneficiaries are already in the provincial database because they regularly liaise with their local department of agriculture and rural development offices. Therefore, officials are aware of farmers in the province that are most deserving.
“We have local offices in every town which supports farmers. We’re also inviting those who want to start farming. But we have to limit the number [of attendees] because of Covid-19 regulations. If it was not for Covid-19 we were going to invite everyone, but we have to invite 350 farmers from each district.
“What is nice, is that some of the farmers belong to cooperatives so we can invite one person form each cooperative.”
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