Enquiries    :Dipatlisilo    :Navrae         :Imibuzo       :	T. Mothibi	Date    : Letlha : Datum  : Umhla :	28 January 2007
Reference   : Tshupelo     : Verwysing  : Isalathiso    :

TO:  ALL EDITORS EMBARGO: IMMEDIATE RELEASE, 28 JAN 2007

RE: KINGDOM OF SWAZILAND’S MINISTER OF ENTERPRISE AND

EMPLOYMENT IN NORTHERN CAPE FOR GOAT PRODUCTION

BUSINESS VISIT 

The Kingdom of Swaziland’s Minister of Enterprise and Employment, Hon. Lutfo Dlamini arrives today, 28 January 2007 in Kimberley for a four-day goat production business visit. The Minister who will be received by MEC for Agriculture and Land Reform Tina Joemat-Pettersson is to be accompanied by a Member of Parliament, Senator and a Chief. Other members of the delegation arriving this afternoon includes; 9 entrepreneurs, representatives of the Swaziland Investment Promotion Authority (SIPA) and journalists.

The fact-finding four-day mission will be preceded by a welcoming dinner this evening. Intense discussions and presentations based on the province’s commercialization of goats programme will be the key aspect of tomorrow’s business interaction. The delegation will visit the Department’s Koopmansfontein Research Station to assess training aspects of programme and the Kagisanong Women Dipudi Cooperative outside Kuruman for an understating of the establishment of the cooperatives. Their day will end with a dinner in Kuruman to be hosted by the Kgalagadi District Council. The Northern Cape’s European Union endorsed abattoir in Globblershoop will be visited on Tuesday for an assessment of exporting requirements.

The visit will end on Wednesday with a courtesy call to Premier Dipuo Peters and final discussions on how best the Northern Cape can assist in the establishment of a striving goat industry in Swaziland. END   

               Enquiries: Thabo Mothibi @ 083 255 8840  e-mail: tmothibi@agri.ncape.gov.za

                Source   :  Department of Agriculture and Land Reform

Editors Notes:

Brief Background on Commercialization of Goats in NCAPE.

The Department of Agriculture and Land Reform in collaboration with institutes such as Agricultural Research Council implemented since 1995 various research projects to investigate goat production practices and the possibility of developing goat production on a commercial basis. Kgalagadi Dipudi Enterprise project came about as a nodal project and subsequently, a section 21 company Kalahari Kid Cooperation (KCC) was established.

Improving livestock productivity that includes goat and goat products was recently identified as one of the key areas of intervention in the medium-term priority sector within ASGI-SA   

Major successes

· Registration of 86 goat cooperatives

· Establishment of a goat stud farm at Koopmansfontein Research Station with 279 goats on the farm

·

        Commercialization of Goats: Aims of Programme

· Graduating Emerging Farmers from subsistence farming with goats to a commercial level, with specific interventions in animal production, accredited learnership training (AgriSeta), marketing and export readiness.

· To ensure that quality breeding stock is availed to farmers through the Livestock Improvement Programme.

· To ensure that the goat meat industry is established and commercialized.

Why Commercialization of Goat Industry?

· Many constraints were identified

· Goat Industry was unorganized with opportunities for growth and development recognized.

· Address trade barriers restricting entry of emerging farmers into the global market.

How it is being addressed

· Through research and training.

· Development of organized farming groups (co-operatives registered)

· Access to resource facilitated; Access to land natural resources (LRAD – grant to purchase land), Access to finance (MAFISA – loan), Access to training (Agriseta), Access to infrastructure (CASP & LandCare), Access and Support with livestock inputs (animal production kits, seed stock), Access to extension.

Enquiries: Thabo Mothibi @ 083 255 8840  e-mail: tmothibi@agri.ncape.gov.za