The Minister of Land Reform and Rural Development, Mzwanele Nyhontso, together with eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality Mayor, Cyril Xaba, will this week engage with small-scale growers and supported rural youth enterprises in the Umbumbulu area under eThekwini metro.
The engagement, set to take place at Mpandwini Community Hall in Umbumbulu, forms part of the department’s National Rural Youth Service Corps (NARYSEC) Programme.
The department said it has invested in production inputs to the value of more than R4 million towards the Ratoon Management Programme, which provides fertiliser and technical assistance to small-scale growers, with over 800 of the small-scale producers being in Umbumbulu.
“The South African Farmers Development Association (SAFDA) was appointed as an implementing agent to ensure the success of this initiative by guiding farmers on a day-to-day basis,” the department said.
The department said Nyhontso, together with the delegates, will on Wednesday have an opportunity to engage with the community about the challenges they face, including opportunities and success stories of the sugar cane industry from the perspective of a previously disadvantaged emerging farmer.
“In addition, as part of the build-up activities to the Presidential Imbizo scheduled for 8 November 2024 in eThekwini, the Minister will lead the delegation on a walkabout to three households, whose livelihoods are solely dependent on sugar cane farming within Ward 96 in Umbumbulu in the Mpandwini area of eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality,” the department said. – SAnews.gov.za
