10 Jun 2018

Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Security will provide essential services such as roads, telecommunications, health services, security, water and sanitatition to agricultural production areas  to enhance the performance of the sector.

Responding to a parliamentary question on behalf of the Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security,  Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Ms Botlogile Tshireletso said the approach was to adopt a phased implementation plan for the provision of essential services.

She  said the focus would be on areas that promised the highest potential in agricultural production and productivity.

“The immediate and priority focus for phase 1 is the roads in the Sandveld Beef Cluster and Banyana/Molopo Farms,” she said. Ms Tshireletso said roads in Nkange constituency which were already de-bushed would be included in phase II.

She, however, stated that priority would be given to those roads which lead to areas which were high in production, adding that phase II of the provision of essential services would commence during 2019/20 financial year.

Nkange MP, Mr Edwin Batshu had asked  when would government consider grading all roads leading to ploughing areas in Nkange constituency.

He said the roads were de-bushed through Ipelegeng programme in order to facilitate easy passage to the production areas. ENDS