Gauteng farmers sought for Nguni cattle breeding project

The Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has called on aspirant famers to apply for participation in the Nguni cattle breeding project. 

In partnership with the Industrial Development Corporation, the Nguni cattle breeding project involves the loaning of 30 pregnant Nguni heifers and one bull to emerging black farmers for breeding. After a period of five years, participating farmers are expected to return the same amount of cattle, offspring or an equivalent rand value. This is the second intake of qualifying black farmers who want to form part of the project in Gauteng.

The main objective of this project is to reintroduce the Nguni breed of cattle into the province in large numbers, focusing specifically on emerging black farmers. The project is aimed at empowering these farmers with livestock farming skills and developing their entrepreneurship abilities. The Nguni cattle have been chosen specifically because they are an indigenous breed and can thrive under difficult conditions. 

• The criteria to participate in the project includes providing proof of being South African citizens and residing in the Gauteng province. 
• The applicants must be “black” as defined in the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act 53 of 2003.
• Any applicant already owning cattle, must provide a health certificate issued by the local veterinarian with particular emphasis on the bovine Tuberculosis and Brucellosis status of the existing herd.
• Applicants must provide proof of having access to land suitable for cattle farming, a minimum of 500 hectares in size, with sufficient grazing as per carrying capacity of the land and the expansion of the herd.
• The aforementioned land must be improved with basic infrastructure - for instance, perimeter and internal fences, suitable handling facilities, adequate water facilities, dipping facilities, feeding equipment for supplements and camps

Applications close on 30 June 2015. Farmers can visit www.gdard.gpg.gov.za for application forms.

Source: SA News

Read overviews of Indigenous breeds, beef cattle and animal improvement & breeders in The Agri Handbook.

Skills Handbook Pre-order Edition Now Available

The need for training was where the Agri Handbook had its origin. The call centre of which I was a part received several calls for hydroponic and other agricultural training. I set off to do some research since agriculture was not featured in the early skills publication ... and that research became the National Agricultural Directory and, after four editions, The Agri Handbook for South Africa!

Find the Agricultural education & training and Careers & employment chapters in The Agri Handbook, two of the 180 chapters in the publication.

Good news for those in charge of Human Resources and training at agri-food (and other) companies is that the new Skills Handbook pre-order edition is now available. Read about it here. Some agricultural trainers like Buhle Farmers Academy, Agri Skills Transfer and Skills for Africa have a presence in that publication, as well as in both the current and forthcoming editions of The Agri Handbook.