By Matsobane Manaka
Limpopo Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (LDARD) has identified the red meat cluster as one of the agricultural sector pillars towards the growth and development of the provincial economy.
To accelerate the development and industrialisation of the sector in consistent with the Revitilisation of Agriculture and Agro-processing Value Chain (RAAVC) and Limpopo Development Plan, LDARD and Agriculture Research Council (ARC) signed the Project Agreement to collaborate on the implementation of the Livestock Improvement Programme, which is also referred to as Kaonafatso Ya Dikgomo Project in Limpopo Province on 24 February 2021.
In line with the agreement, about 1500 livestock farmers will undergo a capacity building workshop in five districts. The training programme entails animal recording and improvement, farmer training and information dissemination, general animal husbandry, animal nutrition, veld and rangeland management, animal breeding and livestock disease management and market access, among others.
The training programme will be split into two sessions (150 per session) to accommodate 300 livestock farmers per district. This will be conducted in compliance to Covid-19 regulations as outlined in Disaster Management Act.
The workshops are are expected to start not later than March 2022. However, the project will be implemented over a period of two years ending `31 March 2023.
Rorisang Mafogo, Precious Kgomotso Mokgope and Precious Thenjiwe Maponya during livestock information day and official handing over of Calais Dip Tank, Sekororo in Maruleng
