Applications to apply for government’s presidential stimulus package worth R1 billion, opens on Thursday 10 December.
This announcement was made by the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Thoko Didiza on Monday. Didiza added that this stimulus package is only aimed at subsistence farmers who will be supported with farming input vouchers to retain self-employment while supporting food value chains in the sector.
Didiza says the R1 billion stimulus package was allocated to support 75 000 small scale farmers whose production was negatively impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. “It is appreciated that while the agricultural sector was negatively impacted upon, the subsistence producers and household producers remain the most affected,” adds Didiza.
She further says that these producers utilise land at the backyards of their homes, communal areas and gardens. Didiza explains that these farmers do not earn other income other than the money they make from their small-scale farming activities. She also admits that current agriculture policies do not address their needs adequately.
Furthermore, the minister announced that women will be prioritised as the department decided to target 50% of women to be beneficiaries of this initiative. She went on to say that 40% of applicants will be the youth while 6% of the beneficiaries will be people with disabilities and unemployed military veterans, farm dwellers, and farmworkers.
This programme is aimed at sustaining and increasing employment in the agricultural sector. With that being said, during the implementation of the initiative, unemployed Narysec Youth and unemployed Agricultural Graduates will be employed to work as verification officers. This initiative will create jobs for 6 000 unemployed youth.
How to apply
The application process will be automated. This means that applicants will have to apply by using their cell phones to access the application. The following departmental USSD code should be used: *134*4536# which can be accessed by using any cell phone and network. “This is a free application process and application forms will be accessible from your cell phone once you enter the USSD code. Application forms will be available in all 11 official languages.”
Didiza further adds that through this system, the department will take 150 000 applications. She emphasised that the ‘first come, first serve’ principle will apply.
Qualifying Criteria is as follows as stated by the department
The following minimum qualifying criteria will apply: Applicants should be 18 years old or older, have a South African ID, not employed by the government, currently actively involved in agricultural production and not having received DALRRD support in the current financial year. Applicants are notified that only one application per household will be permitted. Specifically targeted commodities that will be supported include vegetables, grains (maize and soybean), sugarcane, cotton, poultry and livestock.
The support will target vulnerable individuals and groups, and aims to support 50% women, 40% youth and 6% persons with disabilities. Child-headed households, farm-dwellers, farmworkers and military veterans will also be prioritised for support through this initiative and are encouraged to apply.
Subsistence farmers must note that the type and quantities of support provided will be limited to the commodity applied for and the size of the current operation physically verified on site. The amount of support will range between R1 000 and R9 000.
The closing date for applications is 22 December 2020.
