The department of agriculture and rural development (Dard) in the North West has handed over 11 animal-handling facilities to farming communities across the Bojanala district.

The facilities are worth R5.9m and they include holding pens, crush pens and animal pest control sprayers.

A borehole has also been drilled at the location of each of the facilities to provide water to the farmers.

MEC Desbo Mohono says the facilities will make the processes of artificial insemination, castration, vaccination, dehorning and the weighing of large and small livestock easier.

“These are all necessary resources that assist farmers with many challenges and provide easier management of their animals,” says Mohono.

She says the government will keep an eye on the infrastructure to help prevent it from being misused or vandalised.

Mohono says animal healthcare is the backbone of livestock production.

“Animal infrastructure is one of the key factors of the national agriculture and agro-processing master plan. Creating an enabling environment for farming will not only contribute to improved health of the animals, but also improve food security and create more jobs.”

One of the beneficiaries, Elizabeth Mmatsetse Modise, 41, says Dard’s support has made a positive impact in her farming business. “The department-sponsored equipment will help us, business-wise. We will now be able to dip, immunise, load and offload cattle without much hassle.”

Modise, who was taught to farm by her late father, says that the department also provided seedlings and water tanks for irrigation. “I have now managed to plant and sell vegetables, while also assisting my neighbours and the elderly with vegetables.”

Mohono says the initiative will be rolled out to other districts.

– This article was originally published in  GCIS's Vuk'uzenzele