Agriculture Expo boosts Makhuduthamaga farmers
Phokoane
The Makhuduthamaga Local Municipality (MLM), together with the Department of Agriculture have introduced approximately 400 local farmers to innovative maize growing methods and practices at the Agri-Expo Day, held at the Phokoane Tribal Hall on Friday 13 September 2024.
The initiative was conducted through the Sekhukhune South Central Zone to benefit farmers within the local municipality.
According to the local municipality, the agriculture Expo programme is in line with the municipality’s Service Delivery and Budget Implementation Plan (SDBIP) and government’s objectives of stimulating economic development through farming and other local economic development (LED) initiatives.
Addressing the farming community, MLM Acting Mayor, Cllr Eric Makatishe Mosoane, who is also an Executive Committee member responsible for Department of Economic Development and Planning (EDP), encouraged participants to explore new farming models usable on the available land for economic benefit.
He said the municipality’s EDP department intends to conduct the Expo on a regular basis in various clusters to increase and stimulate farming activities.
Mosoane said the municipality reviewed its Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) and Cooperative Support policy in July 2024 to regulate the funding model and enable utilisation of municipal agricultural mechanisation to support SMMEs and farming cooperatives.
“The Makhuduthamaga Municipal Council has approved R2 million budget for this financial year, 2024/2025, to support SMMEs and cooperatives operating within the municipality,” he said.
The Agri-Expo was attended by various stakeholders such as Grain SA, Beyers, Obaro, which made presentations on new farming methods and MLM councillors including Cllr Lehlagare Modige and Cllr Robert Maapea.
The Mayor of MLM, Cllr Merah Mahlase, is confident that through maximum participation of all stakeholders, including members of the community, particularly those in the farming sector, the local economy will begin to improve and the municipality will prioritise more budget towards the EDP department to fund more initiatives.
