Tonnes of feed for farmers hardest hit

Aland Winde (Provincial Minister of Economic Development, Zukiswa Gaqavu (corporate affairs manager), Michiel Smuts (one of the farmers who has kindly donated some animal feed).

Over 100 tonnes of animal feed was collected in Bredasdorp, Ceres and Malmesbury from farmers who kindly donated all they could spare. South African Breweries (SAB) has sent a fleet of six trucks to collect and transport the donated feed to desperate farmers in the Kliprand area. One of the Western Cape's worst affected areas, Kliprand is an eight-hour drive north of Cape Town.

Western Cape minister of Economic Opportunities, Alan Winde, was on hand on Monday morning at Grasrug Farm just outside Malmesbury to personally thank farmer Michiel Smuts for his contribution and to extend gratitude to all the farmers, general public and industry stakeholders who are playing such an important and selfless role in alleviating the impact of the drought on beleaguered farmers.

"This is another great example of partnerships in the agricultural sector. Over the past few weeks, it's been encouraging the see the private sector and fellow farmers joining hands to assist those hardest hit by the drought. I'd like to commend all those involved for their efforts," remarks Winde.

Tonnes of donated feed

Market reports show that many crops have either been ruined or not planted this season while the majority of livestock will be facing starvation in the absence of outside aid. Agri Western Cape has been very active in coordinating relief efforts to offer assistance to the agricultural sector across the board; from large commercial enterprises to small-scale farms and subsistence farmers tilling their parcel of land.

"We have received tonnes of donated feed from our producers and are thankful to SAB for offering transport at no cost. We are humbled by this gesture of goodwill towards the agricultural sector in this time of crisis" comments Agri Western Cape CEO Carl Opperman.

"While the drought is having a devastating effect on South Africa's agricultural sector, the challenges it presents have revealed what are perhaps our country's greatest attributes; that is our strength in the face of adversity and the compassion we have for one another to pull together and help each other in times of crisis," comments SAB Cape Region general manager Desmond Jacobs.