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Eastern Cape Rural Development and Agrarian Reform MEC, Nonkqubela Pieters, has delivered on her promise to give farmers under the OR Tambo District tractors to boost agricultural production in the district.
Pieters had made the promise during an Imbizo held at AmaMpondomise Kingdom’s Upper Kroza Great Place in Qumbu, on September 6. At the time, she said that the tractors would assist farmers under the OR Tambo District to move from treating farming as a hobby to a business.
On November 28 Pieters formally handed over 19 tractors to famers under the OR Tambo District, during a ceremony held at Tsolo Agricultural and Rural Development Institute where she echoed her words that the tractors were meant to commercialise agriculture in the district.
“This [handover of tractors] is part of the department’s efforts to commercialise agriculture in the province,” Pieters said.
She added that although the tractors were donated to farmers, they would be managed by the OR Tambo District Municipality through Ntinga OR Tambo Development Agency.
Pieters further donated 19 industrial sewing machines to co-operatives from the district during the handing over of tractors.
The department had earlier indicated that the 19 tractors were made up of six brand new and 13 refurbished tractors.
Well-known farmer, Snoux Poswa, welcomed the donation, but lamented that government needed to do more in mechanisation of agriculture for farmers to move from subsistence to commercial.
According to Poswa, many famers had been struggling to till their land for planting prior to the donation of the tractors, as they could not afford the R1 800 that was charged to hire a tractor for their farming enterprises.
