DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, LAND REFORM, ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION	7 Transvaal Road Private Bag X5018 KIMBERLEY 8300	7 Mmila wa Transvaal Kgetsanaposo X5018 KIMBERLEY 8300
	LEFAPHA LA TEMOTHUO, TLHABOLOLO YA LEFATSHE, TIKOLOGO LE TLHOKOMELO YA TLHAGO	7 Transvaal Road Inqxowa yeposi X5018 KIMBERLEY 8300	Transvaalweg 7 Privaatsak X5018 KIMBERLEY 8300
	DEPARTEMENT VAN LANDBOU, GRONDHERVORMING, OMGEWING EN BEWARING
	ISEBE LEZOLIMO, UGUQULO MHLABA, EZININGQUNGILEYO NOLONDOLOZO	Tel: (053) 8389-100	Fax:   (053) 831-4685         (053) 838-9138         (053) 831-3635

               To: ALL EDITORS MEDIA RELEASE   EMBARGO: NONE

                                  Joint Statement of Intent

                                              Between

                                       The Northern Cape Government

Represented by The Honourable Premier, Ms Dipuo Peters

and her designate,

MEC for Agriculture and Land Reform Ms.Tina Joemat-Pettersson   

and Kingdom of Swaziland represented by

the Minister of Enterprise and Employment Mr. Lutfo Dlamini and H.E Mr. P Mswane following a Four-day goat production business

visit to the Northern Cape Province.

It is with immense pride that the Government of the Kingdom of Swaziland, through the Ministry of Enterprise and Employment has successfully undertaken a four-day fact-finding mission into the Northern Cape’s Commercialization of Goats Programme.

The Province and the Kingdom wish to affirm the following:

The successful experience of the Northern Cape in establishing over 86 goat co-operatives constituted by emerging farmers would act as a catalyst in stimulating the replication of a similar model in the Kingdom of Swaziland;

 The intense presentations and discussions which were followed by field visits created a framework for the creation and consolidation of a collaborative working arrangement between the two Governments’ in the areas of training, research, production, marketing and export readiness;  

A reciprocal visit to the Kingdom of Swaziland by key  Northern Cape representatives in collaboration with the Ministries of Agriculture and that of Enterprise and Employment would enable; a scientific and economic  assessment of the present status of goat production in the Kingdom, and pave the way for a detailed feasibility study and business plan to be developed; and 

The reciprocal visit will culminate in the drawing up of a mutually agreed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).        

This four-day fact-finding-mission once again serves as a re-affirmation of the precious ideals and principles that are encapsulated in NEPAD’s Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP). The CAADP initiative serves as a guide in defeating poverty, hunger and underdevelopment through agro-business which is a linchpin of Africa’s development. 

Furthermore, the interaction heralded a possibility of co-operation being sought in the areas of Herbs and Medicinal Plant Processing.     

Editor’s notes

BACKGROUND TO THE VISIT: The Kingdom of Swaziland’s Minister of Enterprise and Employment, Hon. Lutfo Dlamini arrived in Kimberley on the 28 January 2007 for a four-day goat production business visit. The Minister was received by MEC for Agriculture and Land Reform Ms. Tina Joemat-Pettersson. He has been accompanied by the High Commissioner of Swaziland to the Republic of South Africa, a Member of Parliament, a Senator and a Chief and other members of the delegation that included 9 entrepreneurs, government officials, a representative of the Swaziland Investment Promotion Authority (SIPA) a representative of the Ministry of Agriculture and a journalist.

     The four-day-fact-finding mission was preceded by a

welcoming dinner. The delegation visited the following

establishments;

The Department’s Koopmansfontein Research Station to assess training and research aspects of the programme,

The Kagisanong Women Dipudi Cooperative in Kuruman for an understating of the establishment of the cooperatives and the management thereof; and

The Northern Cape’s European Union accredited L.A.W abattoir in Globblershoop, which serves as the value adding and processing plant for goats and sheep.

      The visit ended with a courtesy call to Premier Dipuo Peters

and a debriefing session. END  

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 more than 86 goat cooperatives

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

Availed animal production kits to the registered co-operatives as a from of a starter-pack

        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, finance 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