Annual Performance Plan 2011/2012 - Department of Agriculture ...

PART A: STRATEGIC OVERVIEWFood SecurityResearch shows that 35% of the Province’s population is affected by hunger. The Department is part ofthe Provincial Flagship Programme and is on a mission to improve this situation by addressing povertythrough its Food Security Programme and thus salvage people out of the poverty trap. The departmenthas established 189 household gardens and 30 community gardens in the 2010/11 financial year. Ithas also appointed and trained 450 Extension Assistants to deliver this programme. Furthermore, itplans to make available seed scoops to 1 million households per annum in the province. Lastly, it willprocure War-On-Poverty vegetable production packs for 34 000 households per annum.Juncao MushroomsThe Department continues to invest in the Juncao Mushroom project. On 30 July 2010, His Majesty,King Zwelithini officially opened the Cedara Juncao Mushroom Research Base. Further satellite baseshave been commissioned and planned for the upcoming financial year such as KwaDindi JuncaoMushroom Satellite and others at Mehlomnyama, Dukuduku, Msinga Top and Enyokeni. This processforms an important part of the Department’s Food Security Programme as evidenced by the fact that17 Food Security Sites are already functional and a further 23 have been prioritized.MechanizationThe Mechanization Programme of the Department, which was launched by the Premier, Dr.Zweli Mkhize and the MEC at Emadungeni, Sisonke District in September 2010, has proved to apopular programme that the public has been yearning for. In the short life span since its inception,,the Department has received over 45, 000 requests from communities around the province. Thisprogramme, the purpose of which is to provide resource-poor households and communities withploughing and planting assistance, currently has over 196 tractors deployed in all local offices of theDepartment. The Department has ploughed over 7 401 hectares and planted 4 561 hectares of landsince October 2010. Had it not been for inclement weather at the beginning of the programme, muchmore ground would have been covered already. Maize and dry beans as staple foods are the mainfocus of the programme. Other secondary crops are also considered.Livestock programmeThe Department has introduced the Livestock Programme, with one of its major interventions isaimed at improving the livestock production contribution of KZN to the economy through sound animalhusbandry practices, effective primary health care and strategic partnerships with communities andrelevant stakeholders. Currently, livestock contributes 60% of total KZN farm-gate value. However,the livestock production contribution is curtailed by inter alia, diseases, endo- and ecto-parasitesand insufficient distribution of livestock watering points. It is estimated that up to 80% of indigenouschickens die from Newcastle disease and more than 50% of mortality in calves and lambs can bedirectly largely to internal parasites. Therefore, the Department has decided to focus on primary animalhealth care in the initial stage of the Livestock Programme. In this regard, R16m worth of Vaccinations,Medicines etc as well as R26m of External Parasite Controls have been ordered in 2010/11 to initiatethe Programme and this will escalate over the MTEF. Basic primary animal health care and animalhusbandry training will be provided to Livestock Associations to empower them to independently carefor their livestock. 150 Extension Assistants and 10 Livestock Specialists in the various disciplinesof livestock production will be appointed to implement the Programme. When fully achieved, thisProgramme will result in an additional income to communal farmers which are potentially in excess ofR2.5billion per annum.The Nguni project is currently being reconfigured jointly with the Industrial Development Corporation(IDC) to enhance its economic viability.2 ANNUAL PERFORMANCE PLAN 2011/12