Eastern Cape ramps up support for farming

The Eastern Cape Provincial Government has mobilised significant resources to implement comprehensive disease control, improve biosecurity, and support agricultural production across the province.

Presenting the Department of Agriculture’s 2026/27 Policy Speech at the Provincial Legislature on Wednesday, MEC Nonceba Kontsiwe announced that R55 million has been allocated to procure more than one million vaccine doses to combat Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), alongside R22 million for critical veterinary consumables.

Kontsiwe said the recent FMD outbreak has severely impacted the sector, disrupting production, restricting livestock movement, and limiting access to key export markets.

“The outbreak has resulted in significant financial losses, placing strain on farmers and the broader food system. FMD has highlighted the critical importance of strengthened biosecurity systems.” she said.

To address these challenges, the MEC announced that the department has invested R25 million in developing infrastructure aimed at enhancing biosecurity and reduce climate change risks in livestock production.

As part of efforts to unlock export opportunities, the department will develop an export quarantine facility at Dohne Agriculture Development Institute.

“This facility will enable both small and large stock producers to quarantine the animals that are earmarked for the export market, as is a requirement of all importing countries,” Kontsiwe said.

The department outlined a wide range of initiatives to boost productivity, market access, and sustainability across the sector, and these include:

• An amount of R4.5 million has been allocated to roll out the Livestock Identification and Traceability System (LITS), aimed at improving compliance with the Animal Identification Act and strengthening disease control.
• A R42 million partnership between the Eastern Cape Rural Development Agency (ECRDA) and the Land Bank will support farmers through blended finance mechanisms.
• The department is investing R23.3 million to construct 17 shearing sheds and implement eight stock water projects across the province, while R8 million will support genetic improvement through the provision of 900 sheep and goats.
• The department has allocated R18.3 million to poultry production support, with 40% earmarked for youth and women enterprises. An investment of R7.5 million in poultry infrastructure development will also be made in seven enterprises in Sarah Baartman, OR Tambo, and Chris Hani.
• Grain and oilseed production will be intensified and R80 million that will support this initiative. At least 62km of fencing will also be erected to safeguard croplands.
• The department aims to leverage R50 million in investment for 36 Black smallholder citrus farms through ECRDA and Land Bank partnerships. 
• To improve the competitiveness of the citrus industry, the department is also collaborating with the Citrus Growers Association (CGA), industry players, and the national and Western Cape governments, to implement a cost-effective method of controlling the False Codling Moth using the Sterile Insect Technique in more than 4 500 hectares of citrus in the province.
• The department is partnering with the Agriculture Research Council (ARC) to drive water use efficiency through irrigation scheduling technology that is funded to the value of R900 000 to ensure irrigation schemes align with precision agriculture. 
• A budget of R5.2 million is set aside to develop a commodity-specific shared mechanisation centre offered by the irrigation scheme to farmers of the scheme.
• An amount of R1.5 million will be used to revitalise a milk pasteurising facility at Seven Stars Dairy, while R4 million will support lucerne production on 300 hectares in Qamata and Zanyokhwe.
• Further support includes R200 000 for oyster and sea urchin producers and R2 million for small-scale fisheries. R18 million has also been allocated to land rehabilitation initiatives. – SAnews.gov.za