PRESENTATION FOR EC LED CONFERENCE

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PRESENTATION FOR EC LED CONFERENCE

• OR TAMBO DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY

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PROGRAME NAME

• The programme is called Livestock Improvement
  Programme which consists of four (4) main sub-
  programs as follows
• Beef Development
• Iqhayiya Sheep and Wool Production
• Laphumilanga Goat Production
• Ikhwezi Dairy

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BACKGROUND

• One of our 12 anchor projects which is contained
  in the IDP of the O. R. Tambo DM
• The programme links well with the four (4) of the
  six (6) planks of the Eastern Cape Provincial
  Growth and development Programme (PGDP).
• These are
• Agrarian transformation and Establishment of food
  Security
• Human Resource Development
• Infrastructure Development
• Public Sector and Institutional transformation

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BACKGROUND CONT

• It is also aligned with two of the principles of
  PDGP
• Local government to be capacitated as a primary
  site of delivery.
• Building the 2nd economy and link it up to the
  1st economy.

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BACKGROUND CONT

• The following realities were considered and
  factored in for feasibility and sustainability of
  the programme
• Our Communities have long been involved in
  livestock farming and this is not a foreign
  concept to them.
• These are ISRDP approved anchor projects that was
  agreed on in consultation with the local
  municipalities, local communities and other
  relevant stakeholders.

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BACKGROUND CONT

• EC Province Statistics show the following
  opportunities-
• (Industry Size)
• Agric makes 50 GDP
• It provides 12 formal sector Employment
• Livestock livestock products group have gross
  income of R2.4 bn/annum ( 70 GI in Agric)

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BACKGROUND CONT

• (Industry Structure)
• 35 Commercial farmers (R 1.085 M)
• 65 Historical Disadvantaged Communal Farmers
  (HDCF) ( R 2.015 M)
• Capital Value of HDCF cattle is R2 bn
• Controlled by 150 000 of 350 000 households
  involved in Agric.
• 84 of farmers own 5-12 cattle
• 12 own 16- 25 cattle
• 5 gt 25 cattle

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BACKGROUND CONT

• (Supply)
• HDCF off take 5 7 per annum
• Commercial 25 30 per annum
• 200 000 250 000 cattle are marketed per annum
  from commercial farmers.
• Less than 100 000 cattle marketed from communal
  farmers.

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BACKGROUND CONT

• (Marketing Channels)
• HDCF sell the bulk locally
• Commercial farmers sell either directly to
  feedlots or through formal sector.
• Significant differential between prices realised
  through local market sales and those of
  commercial.

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BACKGROUND CONT

• (Market Demand)
• Formal domestic Market EC is 210 000 per annum
• Commercial farmers mostly produce weaners for
  feedlots
• As a consequence of this, EC abattoirs
  experience a shortage of locally sourced cattle
• Large abattoirs are importing 150 cattle per
  week

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BACKGROUND CONT

• Livestock in O.R. Tambo region is by far the
  biggest livestock farming practice in communal
  farming in the whole country (631 674 cattle, 732
  478 goat and 1 225 244 sheep Source O.R. Tambo
  veterinary section Report 2003/04).

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CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS

• The livestock owners are less organized and thus
  their felt needs are often assumptions and/or are
  dominated by those of the commercial farmers.
• The role played by the livestock in the total
  meat contribution of the local municipalities and
  the region is undefined and less prominent.
• Prices realized when the livestock is sold are
  poor and this makes the owners to be less
  convinced to take part in markets especially in
  the initial stages.
• Wrong breeding practices have led to a less
  defined breed that is regarded to be inferior
  than the exotic breeds ( almost all the farmers
  would love to own a better breed )

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CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS CONT

• There is a lack of organisation and initiative
  which is a serious drawback for the farmers as it
  makes the efforts to be threatened by squabbles
  and infighting.( the mindset of traditional
  farming as well )
• The communal farming system has no real benefits
  for the insiders but is an enrichment haven for
  the outsiders.
• The lack of basic infrastructure such as camps,
  sales pens, stock dams and fodder banks makes it
  a huge challenge for the owners to play an active
  role in improving the conditions the animals are
  exposed to.

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CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS CONT

• The massive poverty and unemployment makes it
  less possible for the owners to acquire basic
  necessities to maintain the livestock.
• The apathy demonstrated by the meat industry on
  supplies from the communal areas is a serious
  drawback for the revival of the sector (the
  industry must be mobilized and assigned an active
  role in the program).
• Droughts and serious disease outbreaks (such as
  Foot and Mouth) pose as serious challenge for any
  livestock program.
• The non-availability of funds to spearhead
  developmental programs within the areas
  identified is a serious constraint.

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CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS

• Insufficient funding
• Poor Coordination / Partnership in animal
  Identification
• Slow development towards co-op development.
• No truck suitable to load livestock.
• Insufficient personnel to drive the programme

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PROBLEM STATEMENT

• As an attempt of rooting out all the bottlenecks
  that have led to the failure of the many
  improvement programs that have been instituted in
  the past, various key and pertinent problem areas
  within communal farming have been identified Viz
  are
• Communal farming- the animals are exposed to the
  same risks, are Kraaled depriving them of grazing
  time and there is massive overstocking.

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PROBLEM STATEMENTCONT

• Lack of marketing systems - the current off take
  is about 3- 6 and the sales are mostly local
  with a few speculators that are active during the
  dry season.
• Lack of basic knowledge of Animal health
  practices mortalities from the most prevalent
  diseases is very common because the owners were
  never trained to understand the concepts and use
  of remedies.
• Poor animal husbandry tactics injudicious
  breeding practices and poor quality of bulls
  /rams lead to animals that are regarded to be
  inferior and have a mixed blood line.

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STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

• And the following strategic objectives are
  solutions to these problems.
• Create awareness on potential of livestock
  economic value amongst targeted farmers.
• Beef and mutton production to supply quality
  livestock to the abattoir.
• Promote application of appropriate veld
  management and land care practices.
• Set up institutional mechanism to ensure
  coordination
• To establish proper marketing system.

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CURRENT IMPLEMENTATION PROCESSES

• (The Beef programme)
• Genetic Improvement through introduction of high
  performing bulls
• Fort Hare Nguni programme
• Heifer programme that promotes cross breeding
• Heifer exchange programme
• Branding of animals
• Farmer support and development
• Basic Infrastructure development
• Institutional arrangements

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SUCCESS STORIES

• Managed to secure small holding at Mkambati
• Twenty bulls distributed to farmers
• 8900 cattle branded
• Ninety farmers were trained in the programme
• Buy in the programme
• Employment opportunities

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Success Stories Cont..

• Heifers ready for exchange
• Strong Partnerships with stakeholder like IDC,
  DHLG TA, Agric, Fort Hare, Fort Cox, Mangosuthu,
  Farm Africa, Ruliv etc
• Employment Opportunities
• Human Capital Development

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Community Buy In Support

• Entry point was at strategic IDP level with DM
  LMs
• Traditional leaders other influential people
  from the community
• At institutional level a functional project
  steering committee rooted in the community
• Steering Committee together with other
  stakeholders served as M E and coordination
  mechanism.

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Lessons Learnt

• Women prove to be better farmers when given
  opportunities.
• To involve people already involved in farming
  and allowing to join those with proven interest
• Indigenous knowledge should be made relevant
  linked to scientific knowledge
• Linking the chain from production to the market
• People prefer exchange rather than selling

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Conclusion

• (Small Stock)
• Genetic Improvement occur in Rams, Bucks.
• Donations in the form Does, Ewes.
• Infrastructure in the form of fencing, holding
  pens, belly baths, shearing sheds etc.
• Farmer Development
• Partnerships are also happening.

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Conclusion Cont..

• ( Ikwezi Dairy )
• An enterprise that links with dairy cooperatives
  initiatives
• Linked with Umzikantu Abattoir
• Provides an effective training facility for
  farmers and student trainees
• Supply dairy to local consumers at a affordable
  prices

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• END