Page 447 - Provincial Treasury Estimates.pdf

Estimates of the Provincial Revenue and Expenditure (EPRE) – 2023/24 Financial Year

Financial Access continued to be one of the challenges faced by smallholder or emerging farmers,
therefore the department has initiated the blended finance scheme as a mechanism to leverage private
and public sector resources to increase investments in the sector. This blended finance scheme will be
implemented in partnership with ECRDA and Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC).
Furthermore, this scheme will be consolidated into the Provincial Economic Development Fund as the
province is establishing a central economic development fund to be administered by ECDC. As this
process unfolds, the province will have one fund which will be focused on the economic development
agenda for the province. This will upscale commercial production in fruits (citrus, deciduous, and
pineapple), grains (maize, soya beans, wheat, sorghum and oilseeds), livestock (red meat and animal
fibres), vegetables, piggery and poultry commodities.
Land care programme is anchored in the conservation agriculture principles that ensures full participation
of communities in management of natural resource management. This includes interventions that address:
Catchment based land rehabilitation programs; Effective Conservation Committee; and Promotion of
Conservation agriculture. The total area of land that will be rehabilitated will be 2 690 ha and creating 340
green jobs.

To address food insecurity in the province, in 2023/24 the Department will plant 27 774 with field crops
(grain, fodder and horticulture) across all districts, out of this 6 667 ha will be implemented by partners in
the identified grain production corridors at Amathole Grain Corridor (Mnquma, Mbashe), Chris Hani & OR
Tambo Corridor (Intsika Yethu, Engcobo, KSD), Joe Gqabi, Chris Hani & Alfred Nzo Corridor (Elundini,
Sakhisizwe, Matatiele), OR Tambo & Alfred Nzo Corridor (Mzimvubu, Ntabankulu, Mbizana, and Ingquza
Hill). The support provided will benefit 9 045 small producers. A total of 26 620 subsistence producers will
be supported.

Furthermore, the department seeks to improve agriculture infrastructure to support commercialization of
all commodities in the province. This program will target prioritized commodities such as livestock, grain,
citrus, poultry, vegetable and piggery. A total of 171 infrastructure projects will be established. The
department is targeting to capacitate 185 Extension Practitioners on priority commodities. Furthermore 20
598 agricultural demonstrations will be conducted to educate producers on production methods.

A total of 1.3 million animals will be vaccinated against controlled diseases, 8.1 million treatments will
applied to sheep for the control of sheep scab, a total of 4 million will be applied to animals to control
external parasites, 111 393 samples will be collected for targeted animal disease surveillance and 11 580
visits conducted to epidemiological units for veterinary interventions. Furthermore, to promote safety of
meat and meat products 988 inspections will be conducted on meat processing facilities and 95 abattoirs
registered and monitored for compliance.

In 2023/24 financial a total of 38 research projects will be implemented. To ensure reliable resource data
for planning and decision making 3 200 samples will be analysed to support decision making of clients.
Furthermore, to disseminate information on research and technology developed 25 research presentations
will be made at peer review events, 6 scientific papers published, 4 presentations made at technology
transfer events and 7 research infrastructure managed.

A total of 177 Agri-Businesses will be supported with marketing services and 559 clients supported with
production economic services. To further enable our producers to penetrate the mainstream economy and
markets a total of 9 SA Gap certificates will be facilitated.

The department seeks to address skills shortage by training a total of 2 000 participants on both crop and
livestock, 250 farm workers and 250 out of school youth. Further, 120 unemployed graduates will be placed
at agri-businesses and commercial farms for a period of two years to acquire agri-entrepreneurial skills.
And total of 600 students are targeted to be enrolled to complete accredited Higher Education and Training
qualifications and 155 planned to graduate.

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