Farm boost from exchange with German province
Rural development and agrarian reform MEC Xolile Nqatha on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding with the German state of Lower Saxony aimed at boosting the province’s agricultural industry.
Nqatha said he and Lower Saxony minister of agriculture Barbara Otte-Kinast signed the detailed agreement, which promises to improve tea production in the province, revamp aquaculture infrastructure, and support the production of essential oil crops as well as industrial crops such as sugarbeet and chicory.
The two provinces are now planning staff exchange programmes, and a five-year farmer training programme started on Tuesday.
Fourteen extension officers, who will assist farmers from local offices of the department, were sent to Germany for a week-long training course.
In the next financial year, the department plans to send farmers to learn new crop and livestock production methods and new technologies that they can implement in their day-to-day farming activities.
At the signing of the memorandum Nqatha said: “Economic conditions demand that we collaborate with other countries to improve the socioeconomic challenges we face as a country. The partnership will be taken to a higher level.”
Otte-Kinast said she hoped the renewal of the partnership would be fruitful, particularly in the field of research. She said it was important that research be part of the agreement as politicians should take their decisions based on research.
Each department agreed to form its own team to look into the “swift” implementation of the newly signed agreement.
The delegation will be visiting local dairy, citrus and game farms.
A five-year farmer training programme started on Tuesday