Tshwane gives R2m boost to farmer's citrus project

13 July 2007, BuaNews
URL: http://allafrica.com/stories/200707110557.html

Pretoria:  The Winterveld Citrus Project, north of Pretoria, is to receive a R2 million financial boost from the City of Tshwane.

The financial aid, in the form of performance-based grants, intends to enhance the production capacity of farmers that have been in citrus farming for five years. Currently, the produce in this project is largely consumed by the local markets.

Unveiled in July 2002, the project is the brainchild of local farmers who realised the potential of unused resources in the Winterveld community.

Thereafter, they promoted the idea of agriculture as a solution to the area's poverty and related social difficulties.

The founding partners of the project were the City of Tshwane's Local Economic Development Division, the Laudium Muslim community and farmers from the Winterveld area.

The City's Head of Agriculture and Environment, Dr Murunwa Makwarela, said that the grant is an indication of the City's commitment to poverty eradication.

"This grant should be a clear indication of the commitment and good intentions by the City to fight poverty, empower the communities both socially and economically, and contribute meaningfully to the overall transformation agenda of the City," said Dr Makwarela.

"The City has committed itself to supporting agriculture as part of its Local Economic Development strategic framework," he said.

According to Dr Makwarela, the project has over the past four years created an estimated 455 jobs and empowered more than 2000 family members in the area.

The project's former manager, Kgomotso Mohlala, who has since been appointed as one of the regional heads within the City's new top management team, said "it has taken vision, co-operation and collaboration to achieve results as big as the ones witnessed today in Winterveldt."

Some of the private sector companies that are partnering in the project include Magaliesberg Citrus Company and the Pick 'n Pay group. This was a big achievement in itself, Dr Makwarela said.

"This project is a good example of partnerships that must be nurtured between the government, the private sector, civil society and the community," he said.

The project is expected to yield an estimated 20 tons of oranges. The first yield was three tons, followed by 11 tons, it is further envisaged that about 100 000 trees will be planted by 2010 thus increasing the yield. To date, about 40 000 trees have been planted.