Emerging farmers informed
SCORES of farmers from around the City of uMhlathuze converged at Empangeni Civic Centre on Friday to share their knowledge and expertise on food security as the population increases daily.
Both emerging and wellestablished farmers attended the event, which was aimed at addressing challenges faced by especially emerging farmers.
Speaking to the media, city Mayor Xolani Ngwezi said without food security people would starve and the economy would collapse.
“The agricultural sector is very important in our country. This sector employs many people and is the only one that can reduce the skyrocketing unemployment rate in our country,” he said.
Ngwezi encouraged the youth to venture into the agricultural sector as research indicates that this is where the next billionaire is likely to come from.
“We encourage our people to start farming to make food for themselves and to make money. As the city, we have so many programmes. In this financial year, we have a budget of R2.3-million to spend on buying tractors to assist emerging farmers in areas under Amakhosi and to provide them with various seeds,” said Ngwezi.
He added that the city is working with Transnet in the establishment of an Agri Processing plant, where local farmers can send their produce to be prepared for export.
“We are doing this so our farmers can even sell their produce overseas to make money. We are also working with the IDZ in many
various programmes, which are [ongoing],” he said.
Challenges
Ngwezi said the city has noted that many emerging farmers are facing various challenges, especially livestock owners.
“Some of these farmers lack necessities on how to take care of their animals. This event will assist them on how to deal with those challenges,” he said.
In terms of stray animals found on the main road, such as the
R34, Ngwezi called upon all five local municipalities under King Cetshwayo District to sit around the table to find a solution to the problem.
“I think it would not be wise to just impound their livestock because there are so many factors that lead
to that challenge. Having said that, farmers must take care of their livestock,” he said.
To champion this sector, the city hired well-trained and experienced agriculturalist Nokukhanya ‘Braman’ Ngubo, who was headhunted as she is passionate about farming.
“She is not a theorist, but a practical person. We have started a programme called Asihlangene Ediphini where she assists farmers in vaccinating their animals. We are planning to get more people to assist.
“We will inject more funding to support farmers with tools of their trade. One of the challenges they are experiencing is funding. We need to multiply farmers to deal with food security in the country and across the world,” said Ngwezi.