North West government has established a fund to help bring black producers into the mainstream of agriculture and to develop projects.
The future of aspiring and emerging farmers and those involved in small-scale agricultural initiatives in rural North West is looking considerably brighter. This is after the Department of Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development recently established the North West Agrifund (NWAF) in partnership with the office of the premier and the North West Development Corporation as an implementing agency.
The implementation of NWAF seeks to undo a past injustice: the discontinuation of state subsidies to farmers. This has left aspiring farmers with limited access to funds, markets, technical skills and business support, and resulted in job losses.
NWAF is mandated to provide funding to farmers to boost agricultural development, with an emphasis on previously disadvantaged individuals who cannot access funding from commercial banks.
The state-owned fund will provide blended financial support services to emerging farmers. It will also promote the development of human resources and the province’s social, economic, financial and physical infrastructure.
The fund will facilitate investment in rural and agricultural development, and help provide opportunities to people from disadvantaged communities to enter and participate in the agricultural industry of the province.
NWAF will also plan, execute, finance and monitor the implementation of agricultural development projects and programmes in North West.
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