1. Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform Province of the Eastern Cape Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries 06 March 2018

2. Introduction Budget allocation for the 2017/18.
Progress in the implementation of Fetla Tsala targets in respect of /18 planting season.
Planting plans for the 2018/19 financial year.
The impact of drought resistance seeds in the Province.
Progress on commercialisation of black farmers.
Progress on recruitment of Veterinary and Extension Officers.
Management of animal diseases and progress on the rehabilitation of agricultural land in provinces.

3. 1. Budget allocation and expenditure for the 2017/18
With regards to available budget of R the following commitments are to be paid:
R outstanding payment to Deciduous Fruit Development Chamber
R outstanding payment to Grain SA
R is for payment of remaining crop operations and outstanding mechanisation operations.

4. 2. Progress in the implementation of Fetla Tsala targets in respect of 2017/18 planting season.
2.1 Maize production
Planned target for 2017/18 was ha and actual planted hectares is ha.
The above was achieved in partnership with Grain SA, GFADA and WHIPHOLD.
The main focus of the strategy is for commercialisation of the smallholder black producers.
The classification of support in line with the strategy is as follows:
Communal farmers
Smallholder farmers

5. DISTRIBUTION OF PROJECTS CURRENTLY ON RECORD WITH DRDAR
Farmer Category
Number of Projects
Area (ha)
small-Holder 45
1,070
Subsistence 35
527
Total 80
1,597
Farmer Category
Number of Projects
Area (ha)
small-Holder 83
5,630
Subsistence
242
6,300
Total
325
11,930
Farmer Category
Number of Projects
Area (ha)
Commercial 3
3,000
small-Holder
261
9,370
Subsistence 50
230
Total
316
12,600
Farmer Category
Number of Projects
Area (ha)
Commercial 1 50
small-Holder
312
10,004
Subsistence 6 95
Total
319
10,149
Farmer Category
Number of Projects
Area (ha)
Commercial 1 17
small-Holder
129
5,260
Subsistence
127
4,542
Total
257
9,818
A TOTAL OF HA PLANTED IN 2017/18 SEASON

6. 2.1 Maize production (Cont…)
Table 2. Progress with the establishment of crops under the Cropping Program
District Municipality
Beneficiaries
Total
Ploughed
Disced
Sprayed
Planted ha
(ha)
(%)
Alfred Nzo
5,838
14,000
700
5.0%
9,153
65.0%
6,369
45.0%
8,885
63.0%
Amathole
4,903
8,400
5,953
71.0%
5,958
4,845
58.0%
5,900
70.0%
Chris Hani
4,002
9,300
7,806
84.0%
8,126
87.0%
7,829
8,042
86.0%
Joe Gqabi
1,268
3,900
1,001
26.0%
1,020
923
24.0%
1,428
37.0%
OR Tambo
9,367
14,200
8,797
62.0%
6,209
44.0%
1,675
12.0%
6,383
TOTALS
25,536
47,800
24,257
51.0%
30,466
64.0%
21,641
30,638

7. 2.1 Maize production (Cont…)

8. 2.2 Citrus production
Total of 36 smallholders producers were targeted for support, of which:
30 were provided with financial for expansion, maintenance and purchase of production inputs.
10 were supported to established additional 5 hectares each,
20 producers received support for production inputs for 10 hectares each for pre-first harvest, and
6 received only training and marketing advice.
The above was achieved with the partnership with Citrus Grower Development Company.
The main focus of the strategy is for commercialisation of the smallholder black producers.

9. 2.2 Citrus production (Cont…)

10. 2.3 Deciduous production
Total of 17 smallholders producers were targeted for the support, of which:
4 were supported for expansion of 7 hectares,
13 Gubenxa were supported for soil assessment (450 ha for green-fields and establishment of 2 sites for cultivar evaluation)
The above was achieved with the partnership with Deciduous Fruit Development Chamber.

11. 2.3 Deciduous production (Cont…)

12. 2.4 Chicory production
Total of 10 farms covering 128ha and benefitting 98 households were supported.
The above was achieved in partnership with Nestle and Chicory SA.
The main focus of the strategy is for commercialisation of the smallholder black producers.

13. 2.4 Chicory production (Cont…)

14. 2.5 Household food production
Total of households were targeted in order to address food insecurity and by 31 December households were supported with agricultural input.

15. 3. Planting plans for the 2018/19 financial year
3.1 Grain production
Targeted to plant 55 000 ha in respect of grain production that is estimated to yield tons.
158 smallholder farmers and 5 603 clustered grain producers creating jobs
This shall be achieved through partnership with Grain SA, The Grain Farmer Development Association (GFADA), SAB, WIPHold, Masisizane Fund, Anglo American.

16. 3. Planting plans for the 2018/19 financial year (cont…)
3.1 Grain production (cont…)
District
Smallholder/ small commercial Planned Area (ha)
Commercial Farmers (non-financial support)
TOTALS
Alfred Nzo
9,967
3514
13,481
Amathole
7,437
3200
10,637
Chris Hani
4,280
7200
11,480
Joe Gqabi
2,290
5500
7,790
OR Tambo
9,212
Sarah Baartman
400
2000
2,400
TOTAL
33,586
21,414
55,000

17. 3. Planting plans for the 2018/19 financial year (cont…)
3.2 Citrus production
Establish a 35 ha new citrus orchard area,
Provide support for maintenance of 532 ha of recently established orchard in the 2 year pre-first harvest period,
A total of 272 black farmers will be benefitting and 79 new jobs will be created. This will be implemented in partnership with the Grower Development Company of the Citrus Growers Association.
Three new entrants will be supported in Amathole with infrastructure i.e fencing and irrigation system.
Two farms in Sarah Baartman will be supported for Environmental Impact Assessments.

18. 3. Planting plans for the 2018/19 financial year and impact of drought resistance seeds in the Province (cont…)
3.3 Deciduous production
The expansion in langkloof is projected over 5 years on account of it involving some upgrading of existing orchards while the green-fields expansion at Gubenxa is projected over 7 years.
Support will be provided to 157 farmers to upgrade 51 ha of orchards, increase orchards from 95 ha to 102 ha in Langkloof benefitting 574 farmers and creating 422 job opportunities.
Furthermore, accelerate conclusion of development planning and regulatory authorization (EIA & Water licenses) for the Greenfields apple production area of 450 ha in Gubenxa.

19. 3. Planting plans for the 2018/19 financial year and impact of drought resistance seeds in the Province (cont…)
3.4 Chicory production Targeted to plant 60ha of Chicory benefitting 25 farmers 3.5 Households food production In order to address food insecurity, households will be supported with agricultural input.

20. 4. The impact of drought resistance seeds in the Province.
Farmers have shown interest on drought tolerant maize seed (water efficient maize for Africa - WEMA) that has been demonstrated to them by DRDAR and ARC.
12 farmers at Amathole district used the seed (about 2 kg each) during the cropping season of 2016/17 following demonstration trials and information days that were held during the cropping season of 2015/16.
Demonstration trials and information days are continually conducted on farm lands to demonstrate to the farmers the performance of more breeds that are drought and also stalk-borer tolerant.
In February 2017, the Eastern Cape Province hosted and participated in an multi-national WEMA annual workshop.
Demonstration trials and information days are conducted to accommodate for environmental variabilities of the Province because a cultivar performing well at Amathole might not be do well in other districts.
The plan is to spread them to accommodate different agro-ecological zones of the Province with
high potential for maize production.

21. 5. Progress on commercialisation program

22. 5. Progress with Transformation Strategy (cont…)
Red Meat
The Department has initiated a partnership with Nguni trust, IDC to support communal and smallholder farmers with genetic improvement scheme.
During the period under review a total of 26 bulls and 118 heifers were distributed to 12 communal areas to improve the genetic material.
Two feedlots (Customer feeding units) are under construction and 13 existing feedlots were supported with feed and market access.

23. 6. Progress on recruitment of Veterinarians and Extension Officers, and recruitment of veterinarians
During the 2017/18 financial year twenty (20) officials were recruited in the Directorate of Extension and Advisory Services.
The composition of these officials is as follows:
Deputy Director Extension (1),
Production Scientists (8),
Senior Agricultural Advisors (10), and Agricultural Advisor (1).
The diverse disciplines of these recruited officials is informed by priority areas of the Agricultural Economic Transformation Strategy which include livestock production and horticultural crops, among many.
Recruitment of Veterinarians
Four state veterinarians were recruited for Senqu , Enoch Mgijima, Emalahleni and Sakhisizwe local municipalities.
Nineteen (19) Compulsory Community Service veterinarians were recruited to service, in the main, the eastern part of the Province

24. 7. Management of animal diseases and progress on the rehabilitation of agricultural land in provinces.
Management of animal diseases
There were four outbreaks of highly pathogenic Avian Influenza around Sarah Baartman District. All have been put under control.
822 739 cattle were vaccinated against anthrax , a deadly disease for man and animals with serious  economic  impact,
375 798 pets , mainly dogs, were vaccinated against rabies  to mitigate  the emerging threat of rabies in the Eastern Cape Province.
1, 207  million sheep were  treated twice  with ivermectin injectable remedy in order to improve the quality of wool and control sheep scab in  poorly resourced farmers
Rehabilitation of agricultural land in provinces.
A total of ha of land has been rehabilitated in the Eastern Cape through projects of DRDAR involving soil conservation measures and eradication of alien invasive species.

25. CONCLUSION
DRDAR will continue to improve service delivery in partnership with the private sector and NGOs.

26. THANK YOU