The Western Cape government has set aside R797-million for its Department of Agriculture in the 2017/18 financial year.
Of this, R47-million was allocated towards drought relief, with a special focus on emerging entrepreneurs. “In 2015, South Africa recorded its lowest rainfall in a calendar year since 1904,” Western Cape Economic Opportunities Minister Alan Winde pointed out.
This led to the loss of 200 000 t of wheat; a 15% decrease in fruit production in 2015/16, leading to an estimated loss of R750-million; the loss of 230 ha of potatoes; more than 30 000 animals having been sold as farmers battled to feed their core herds and a 5% decline in the wine grapes harvested during 2016, estimated at R500-million.
As a further result of water restrictions that had to be implemented, the province’s agricultural economists are projecting a R112-million decrease in gross value added, and a possible drop of 1 728 in the number of available seasonal work opportunities.
Meanwhile, R4-million will be invested through the province’s Halal supplier development programme, aimed at boosting Western Cape agroprocessing.
“With these allocations, we will continue to grow agriculture in the year ahead, so that our sector becomes a key player in growing our economy and creating jobs in our region, and also in feeding the world. Our budget is aimed at equipping our farmers, especially emerging farmers, with the support they need to mitigate further losses,” said Winde.
Meanwhile, in tabling his budget speech for the Economic Development and Tourism Department for the 2017/18 year, Winde pointed out that R427.3-million had been allocated.
This includes a R7.6-million investment in the designation of the proposed Atlantis Special Economic Zone (SEZ), particularly in infrastructure development, skills development for residents and the promotion of the SEZ to potential investors.
To build on its successes in the renewable-energy field, the province will be investing R14.8-million into the “energy game-changer” and into growing the green economy.
R1.7-million will be invested in wine promotion campaigns in Angola and China, where wine sales have achieved double-digit increases.
The department will also sharpen its focus on entrepreneur development, with around 1 000 entrepreneurs set to attend its Emerging Business Support Programme sessions across the province. “We have been able to drive this programme over the past two years through our collaboration with the private sector, which shares in our commitment to growing entrepreneurs.”
To increase access to the new digital economy, the roll-out of public Wi-Fi continues in the year ahead.
"Our Public Access Wi-Fi project with Neotel has seen the installation of 150 hotspots, with 250 new users signing up to the service each day. In the past year, 70 000 devices have connected to our public Wi-Fi hotspots. In 2017/18, a further 224 hotspots will be rolled out,” said Winde.