Pretoria - Beneficiaries of the North West/Industrial Development Corporation’s Nguni Cattle Development Project have been encouraged to enrich their farm management practices and aspire to be sustainable commercial Nguni breeders.
Acting Head of Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Poncho Mokaila, made the appeal to farmers on Farmers’ Day earlier this week. It was organised for beneficiaries of the Nguni cattle project at Amandelboom Farm.
Attended by more than 200 farmers from around the province, Farmers’ Day was also a platform for beneficiaries to learn best farming practices from the most successful ones, with the view to encourage them to do better.
Moreover, 20 farmers who completed the project’s five-year contractual obligation by building stock, conserving the herd’s bloodline and eventually returning 12 loaned cows back to the project, were presented with certificates to signify their success.
“This project is truly a matter of proud record for the North West province, and we hold you in high regard for keeping this project’s image intact,” said Mokaila.
He said economic growth and rural development was possible through this project.
One of the beneficiaries, Carlo Peacock, 35, advised farmers to remain committed to their Nguni projects, saying taking good care of the livestock and keeping proper farm records was fundamental to the success of any agricultural project.
“We became beneficiaries of the Nguni project in 2008, and today we have 115 Nguni heifers, 32 bulls and 55 calves,” said Peacock.
As the chairperson of the 12-member Peabro Farming Cc in Stella outside Vryburg, Peacock said none of them have any formal agricultural qualification. He attributed their success to dedication and passion for livestock breeding.
Professor Sevid Ntlogelang Mashego of the North West University, who is the chairperson of the Nguni Cattle Project’s Board of Trustees, applauded the beneficiaries, saying they were all driving the project towards its intended objective of improving people’s lives, creating jobs, while at the same time upgrading black farmers to the status of commercial farming.
Baipedi Nchoe, 34, of Retladirela Youth Co-operative from Sannieshof, commended the department for creating a platform for the beneficiaries to share efficient cattle management practices, saying the day served as encouragement to all of them.
The Nguni breed is known for its sociable and gentle temperament, and is famous for its colourful and varied hides. It is respected for its hardiness and for its genetic adaptation to harsh and extreme climatic conditions, as well as for its ability to calve annually and without help.
The project is a tripartite partnership between the North West Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and the North West University (Mahikeng campus), which aims to re-introduce the indigenous Nguni cattle to the mainstream of the livestock industry. – SAnews.gov.za
