Chester Makana
Chester Makana
Limpopo agriculture MEC Dikeledi Magadzi said the delay in transferring water rights to new farmers is affecting production on farms.
This was in response to concerns by Limpopo Women in Agriculture and Rural Development in Tzaneen on Friday.
Some of the delegates said they were afraid that food production could be critically affected if the department does not assist them with land, water and finance issues.
Magadzi admitted that water and land was still a problem for many farmers in the province.
She said some of the farmers are still without water to irrigate their products but her department was helping to address the situation.
According to the department, previous farmers still held water rights making it difficult for new farmers to acquire licenses.
She said negotiations are under way with the department of water affairs to give water user licences to new farmers.
Magadzi said they have also advised farmers to apply to the water authority to be recognised as water users.
The department has already spent R400million with the Agrarian Rural Development Corporation to tender support for the subsistence farmers.
Liward deputy vice-chairman Makgoro Mannyi said land and water were problems they are still faced with.