By Kopano Dibakwane
The Primary Grain Co-operative Project will be officially handed over to the Bakgatla community in Marapyane(under the Dr JS Moroka local municipality) by Mpumalanga premier, Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane, minister of agriculture, rural development, land and environmental affairs (DARDLEA)-Thoko Didiza and DARDLEA MEC in Mpumalanga – Busi Shiba on 19 June.
According to office of the premier(OP), the project has enabled the residents to generate income, improve their livelihoods while creating job opportunities on a 145 hectares of land from the Bakgatla Ba Mocha traditional council, with the full support from DARDLEA.
It is also said that DARDLEA has aided the initiative with infrastructure development, production inputs, mechanisation support, training, market linkages, extension and advisory support.
” Currently, more than 5km boundary fence has been completed with 74 he tares of maize and 53 hectares of sunflower planted. To date, the project which forms part of the greening of Mpumalanga due to its agro-ecokogical conditions in Marapane is mainly suitable for grain crops such as sunflower, sorghum and maize,” said the OP.
In addition, the project has reportedly created a value chain for farm output, with local nearby factories namely; Raks Milling, VKB Silos, NTK, Randagri Pty Ltd and Russel Stone Protein in Seabe village and Bronkhorspruit, becoming the target market respectively.
The handover ceremony will be held at Marapyane Farmers Training Centre in the presence of guests including, executive mayors and traditional leaders.
