The Limpopo Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (LDARD) continues to strengthen its position as the country’s leader in terms of households that have adequate access to food.
According to Statistics South Africa General Household Survey, Limpopo Province compared to other provinces has the highest number in terms of households that have adequate access to food at 92,6 percent.
The province has strengthened its position following the high yield harvest recorded by subsistence and smallholder producers in Leolo in the Sekhukhune District through the help of Department Initiative, Fetsa Tlala.
As part of the initiative, subsistence and smallholder producers in the following villages: Dlamini, Hertfort, Ga-Seleka, Magolego, Mohlake, Moretsele and Moelakgopane had supplied their harvest to various milling companies. The department attributes this consistent success to Fetsa Tlala Initiative where these farmers were supported to plough 430 hectares (ha) at R470 000 cost using private service providers while 121 ha ploughed using state tractors making a total 551 ha. The results of this initiative saw the villages Moelakgopane, Dlamini, Hooperkranz, Ga-Kobe, Mohlake, Sekele and Ga-Moela producing 536 tons of maize while Hertfort harvested 473 tons of maize.
Reacting to the successful harvest, which was partly because of good rainfall, LDARD MEC Nandi Ndalane applauded Fetsa Tlala as a revolutionary initiative whose success to the eradication of poverty and provision of household food is highly inspiring.
“Through Fetsa Tlala we hope to ensure that no household in Limpopo will be without food. We applaud men and women who optimise their production through the intervention of Fetsa Tlala. We will continue to strive to increase Fetsa Tlala resources so that majority of our people throughout the province can equitably benefit,” added Ndalane.
Through Fetsa Tlala beneficiaries obtain agricultural production inputs, technical advisory services and mechanisation amongst others whose objective is to eradicate hunger at household level.
