Draft Status Quo Report for the Pixley Ka Seme ... - SRK Consulting

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SRK Consulting in association with BKS Pixley Ka Seme Local Municipality EMF – Draft Status Quo Report Page 59 Asset Opportunity Constraint / Threat plans based on scientific principles. The agricultural forums at municipal level should be exploited optimally to promote proper regional planning. A good opportunity exists for local government to appoint people with the necessary expertise to deal with agricultural issues. The Provincial Department of Agriculture is an equally important role player in this. Local government officials do not trust the agricultural sector as they believe the sector only acts in its own interest and does not support government policies. The lack of a properly institutionalised agricultural forum and leadership to make it work has a negative effect on both farmers and agricultural development in the region. Human capacity Land Farming animals The agricultural sector and farms in particular are managed at a very high level by very capable people (commercial farmers). A large percentage of farmers have University degrees and this potential has not yet been unlocked by the authorities to assist them in issues such as land reform and poverty alleviation High quality land available for production of various agricultural products. The area lends itself to high quality wool production. Game farming should be exploited, especially in areas with a high incidence of stock theft. Emerging farmers lack experience and knowledge to manage farms successfully Extension services from Department of Agriculture not efficient with focus on extension work at commercial farm level Land is limited; thus the demand for land will coincide with economic development and population growth, which often requires land. In most cases agriculture has to give way to other developments, especially when developments are of national interest. The clearing of natural vegetation for activities such as mining and agriculture, and the subsequent transformation of ecosystems, results in impacts such as: • Alien species invasions • Deterioration of soil quality from increased leaching of acids • Contamination of surface and groundwater, resulting in deteriorating water quality • Increased pressure on infrastructure – the poor condition of the roads as a result of mining activities suffices as an example here • Pollution (air and environmental) • Aesthetic pollution, which has a direct impact on the tourism industry since people do not like to travel through spoiled landscapes with mining activities, heavy vehicles on the roads and air pollution. Crime and stock theft are risks faced by farmers on theft. Sheep farming, with a higher return than cattle farming, used to be a large sector in the PKSLM but only a few farmers now farm with sheep because of the high incidence of stock theft. Time and money is wasted by farmers on self-protection units (farm watches) to perform duties of police tasks. The small stock industry (sheep farming) is nearly wiped out because of high incidences of stock. KILI/BEAT G:\404946_PIXLEY EMF\7REPORTS\Status Quo report\Draft report\Draft status quo report, July 2010.docx July 2010
SRK Consulting in association with BKS Pixley Ka Seme Local Municipality EMF – Draft Status Quo Report Page 60 Asset Opportunity Constraint / Threat Land reform International market trends Local businesses Mining Coordination and combined planning should be extended to the land reform process. The use of mentorship programs to support new beneficiaries is under exploited. Personal conversations with farmers disclose their willingness to provide mentorship and assistance to new farmers. It is in the interest of all that land reform succeeds; a view also expressed by most farmers. The Department of Agriculture and the municipalities should use this offer from experienced farmers to assist. The potential exists to exploit niche markets with export potential, for e.g. apple production and berry production. A few farmers have started with the production and export of apples. The climate, soil and positioning of the area from the main markets and transport systems open up opportunities for various products. The Amajuba berry project near Volksrust should be used as an example on how to manage large scale projects. Introduce mentorship programs for beginner farmers in conjunction with commercial farmers. Agri processing can create numerous job opportunities and significantly contribute to poverty alleviation in the area. Farmers can also rectify the BEE profile of their businesses. Currently most of the produce is exported to Gauteng and KZN for processing. Afterwards, they are imported back into the area for consumers to purchase from retailers owned by people or companies in Gauteng. The building and maintenance of new roads by the mines could create additional markets for agricultural products. Mines should be taxed additionally because of the damage they incur on the road infrastructure. The slow pace and lack of support to land reform is a threat to the agricultural sector. All role players in agriculture in the region (farmers, agri businesses and banks) agreed that land reform should take place. They are concerned however with the poor service delivery of land reform and the lack of support from the Department of Agriculture to new farmers. New farmers don’t produce optimally and in some cases not at all, which pose a severe threat on agricultural production in the region. Previous land reform projects failed dismally because of a myriad of reasons, well-known to the Dept of Agriculture. A weak rand has a negative impact on grain production as costs in fertilizer, chemicals, seed, diesel and machinery increases. Subsidies for agriculture in Europe and the US, increased crop production in Brasilia, Argentina and China has a negative impact on agricultural produce in South Africa. Poor road condition has a negative effect on most businesses ( except the tyre industry who benefit from poor roads). Mining is not active at a large scale in the district. Exploration however indicates that lower quality coal is available and that might compete with agriculture for land – trade-offs between industry, agriculture and the environment is an inherent element of development. Mining in neighbouring regions, however impact negatively on the road system in the region. Roads are seriously damaged by coal trucks. The mining sector seems to be ignorant of the damage they incur on the environment, and the agricultural and tourism industry. Source: Adapted from Jordaan and Jordaan (2010) Table 4-6: Assets, opportunities and constraints/threats associated with socio-economics Asset Opportunity Constraint / Threat Natural environment Improvement in local ecotourism. Conservation of biodiversity through formally Minimal infrastructure development. Lack of services and maintenance. KILI/BEAT G:\404946_PIXLEY EMF\7REPORTS\Status Quo report\Draft report\Draft status quo report, July 2010.docx July 2010
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