R155 million earmarked for agricultural projects in NW

North West’s agriculture and rural development MEC Desbo Mohono has earmarked R155 million for the implementation of a number of agricultural projects in her 2012/2013 policy and budget speech.

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Speaking at the provincial legislature in Mahikeng recently, she said the projects include agroprocessing, marketing and business development and farmer training and capacity building projects.

“We will work in partnership with the national Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to ensure the ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the projects. We will also work with the North-West University’s School of Engineering to ensure the quality in all our infrastructure projects,” she added. The intended projects include the restoration of silos in the province, with Mohono announcing that the Springbokpan, Kraaipan and Vryhof grain silos in Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality will be refurbished in the next financial year.

These silos have a total storage capacity of 230 000t and are the only ones in the country owned by the state. “By rehabilitating these silos we’ll be promoting food security while at the same time ensuring that land that has been lying fallow around these silos is put under production,” explained Mohono.

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Grain SA CEO Jannie de Villiers added that the organisation won’t be involved with the actual refurbishment of the silos, but rather on the grain production side as part of the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform’s R30 million recapitalisation programme for the province.