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The farm tractor has an exceptional place in my heart as it connects me to extraordinary people – the farmers, agri-workers, producers and supporters of the agricultural sector.

On Agriculture Budget Day 2023, the tractor identified me as the bearer of the agricultural sector’s message of hope and progress – this message I took to the steps of the Western Cape Government.

I drove the tractor from Greenmarket Square to the front of the Western Cape Parliament. In doing so, I connected the Square’s historical and cultural significance with the Western Cape Parliament.

I also had the opportunity to welcome the legendary Tannie Poppie from Laingsburg as my special guest to the Western Cape Legislature. Wearing her signature kappie, Tannie Poppie is known for deftly flipping her roosterbrood. She is one of this Karoo town’s most famous residents, and her stall attracts tourists and travellers from all over. I announced a total budget of R960.165 million.

The Budget 2023 is guided by the Western Cape Government’s three strategic objectives:

1. Growth for jobs

2. Safety

3. Dignity and wellbeing

Furthermore, the required focus is provided by my five ministerial priorities:

1. Structured education

2. Training and research

3. Farmer support and development

4. Rural safety

5. Market access and climate change

Budget 2023 acknowledges and facilitates the agricultural sector’s critical role in driving the economy, creating jobs and responding to the urgency of now in the Western Cape.

In line with the above, my key 2023/4 budget announcements were:

R60.844 million to ensure operational support services to the Department, including human capital development.

R5 million is reserved for upgrading security services.

R134.757 million to promote the sustainable use and management of natural resources.

R38.628 million is assigned for ecological infrastructure and R18.5 million for river protection works.

R222.192 million towards producer support services. Earmarked allocations include the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme (CASP) of R113 568 million and R59 979 million of Illima/Letsema.

R27.584 million to Casidra SOC Limited to support the department with project and state farm management.

R64.158 million to provide animal health services to prevent and control animal diseases. A further R2.5 million goes towards the upgrade of the Veterinary Laboratory.

R103.261 million to improve agricultural production through research and technology development, focusing on mitigation and adaptation options for farmers in response to climate change.

R42.996 million is set aside for research infrastructure, such as our research farms and support services.

R31.706 million to provide production economics and marketing services to agri-businesses, with a further R7.656 million allocated to facilitating agri-processing initiatives to grow participation in the agricultural value chain.

R57.997 million towards education and training and agricultural skills development.

R10.084 million to enhance the socioeconomic conditions of agri-workers and their families.

In response to three key concerns of the sector, namely, energy, climate change and biosecurity, I will be hosting:

An Agriculture Energy Summit in May/June 2023.

The Western Cape’s Inaugural Veterinary Week in Sep. 2023.

The 9th World Congress on Conservation Agriculture on 22 - 25 July 2024.

I also announced that the Western Cape’s Cannabis Framework and Implementation Plan (CanPlan) had been finalised. It was released on 29 March 2023 for discussion. The plan identifies initiatives for the Department and other provincial departments and partners, laying the foundation for a supportive approach and linking into the National Cannabis Master Plan pillars.

My Budget Address responded to Premier Alan Winde’s call for urgency and vigorous, positive action. The Western Cape Department of Agriculture will continue to inspire hope through growth and jobs across the sector by responding with the fierce urgency of now. AP

Budget speech

Scan the QR code or visit https://bit.ly/3ovlj1F to access the full budget speech.

Learn more!

Scan the QR code or visit https://bit.ly/426CDrt to watch the video:

“Conservation Agriculture bid video South Africa 2024”. Published by Bewaringslandbou Wes-Kaap.

For more information!

Registration opens on 1 October 2023!

Scan the QR code or visit https://wcca9.org/

For more information, contact Daniel Johnson:

WWith the extensive loadshedding schedules, it’s been a rather uncertain time for the whole country, putting even more pressure on the agricultural sector to produce under extremely difficult circumstances.

If one thinks of farming, you quickly associate it with rural settings where farms had to be energy and water self-sufficient from the beginning. However, through the years, farms have become more modern and are as reliant on electricity as everyone else. What was once subsistence level farming has now moved into mega farming in order to meet the needs of the evergrowing population and export markets. The mechanisation of the sector has also placed a greater reliance on Eskomgenerated power, which now causes a grave set of hurdles to productivity.

Case study: Wine Producers

Caption extracts from https://bit.ly/45u3WPD

– read more about the wine producer’s challenges and solutions!