Eastern Cape reaches out to Western Cape farmers

The Eastern Cape government has called on drought-stricken Western Cape farmers to consider moving their farming operations to the Eastern Cape.

Eastern Cape Rural Development and Agrarian Reform MEC Mlibo Qoboshiyane said the province was implementing an agriculture economic transformation strategy‚ which needs investment in crop‚ grain and livestock production.

The province had an investment incentive to help farmers from the Western Cape to set up their commercial farming in the province.

“Farm workers do not have to lose jobs because of the drought; farmers do not have to lose profits because there is scarcity of rainfall and water in their province. The best way to avoid this is for them to move their farming to the Eastern Cape province which has good climatic conditions to grow any agriculture commodity.”

He said he hopes the Western Cape provincial government will accept the invitation and two provinces should discuss commercial partnerships that will benefit both provinces and farmers.

But the national disaster management said that areas of the Eastern Cape have also been hit hard by the drought. They include the Sarah Baartman District‚ Amathole District and the Nelson Mandela Metro Municipality.

In a statement early this week national disaster head Dr Mmaphaka Tau Tau called on state stakeholder to implement contingency measures to curb disaster.

The dam levels in the City of Cape Town currently stands at 24.9%.