Limpopo Premier Mr Cassel Mathale has urged people in the province to continue investing in agriculture, so that the sector can create jobs and, at the same time, strengthen the provincial economy.
“Agriculture is one of the contributing sectors to our economic growth, and food security in the province and the country as a whole,” he said.
Mathale said as part of the comprehensive agricultural support programme (CASP), eleven projects had been completed and supported with irrigation infrastructure. “We have completed eight micro-projects, with the intention to eradicate extreme hunger and poverty amongst the poor and vulnerable households in the rural areas. Thirteen other micro-projects are nearing completion and four of them will be completed by the 1st of April this year,” said Mathale.
He was speaking in Lebowakgomo in the provincial legislature last Thursday.
He said his government had initiated the mechanization revolving credit access scheme (Merecas) with the aim of enabling agricultural entrepreneurs and rural food producers to access funding to purchase farm machinery such as tractors and related implements. “We have a duty to enhance technical skills of agricultural scientists and extension officers in order to sustain and accelerate our farming production. We have awarded bursaries to several individuals to study and specialize in the streams required to propel our agricultural industry forward,” Mathale added.
He further said land degradation and deforestation posed an environmental threat in several parts of the Limpopo province, especially in the rural areas. The situation is imputable to the cutting down of trees for household and other reasons. “We are proudly leading and supporting initiatives that seek to urge people to plant trees in order to improve the environment, whilst at the same time contributing to food security and job creation. Planting trees is part of sustaining the greening of our communities as people like to live in a clean environment,” said Mathale.
He added that Pres Jacob Zuma identified Muyexe village in Giyani as a pilot project for a comprehensive rural development programme in the country. The project has begun take shape and there are significant signs of improvement in the lives of the people of Muyexe and surrounding villages. “The number of households built in Muyexe stands at 321 as of Wednesday last week and it is worth mentioning that these houses were built in just three months. We have managed to create 534 jobs from the projects that have been launched in the area, over and above a clinic we have also built in Muyexe,” said Mathale.
He said the lives of rural communities of Muyexe and surrounding villages have changed for the better, including sanitation, land care, early childhood development and health services.
Expanded Public Works Programme
Mathale said the government had introduced the expanded public works programme (EPWP) to provide unemployed people with income, work experience and training opportunities. As a provincial government, they had put in place a provincial five-year business plan, which is being implemented across all government departments and municipalities.
He said eleven EPWP tenders had been awarded to service providers for labour-intensive road maintenance and construction projects at a cost of R54 million. In this year’s financial year, Mathale said, his government was planning to create 59 733 job opportunities.
Fighting Corruption
Mathale warned that corruption delayed development and compelled people to lose trust in the structures of the government. “We will continue to fight against corruption through all means available. We are appealing to members of society to join the battle against corruption in order to ensure that the mission to accelerate service delivery is not digressed or deferred. Corruption, wherever it is practiced, remains a criminal offense in this country and its perpetrators must be charged and prosecuted.”