Multi Planting Project

March 2024 RV price per ton R 7 429,76 “d” factor 0,504705

Multi Planting Project

The South African Farmers Development Association Projects and Partnerships

the Multi Planting project

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) in KwaZulu-Natal has appointed SAFDA Farm Management Services (Pty) Ltd as a commodity organisation for 36 months to conduct the monitoring and evaluation of the multi-season planting programme to plant 20938 hectares throughout the province for the following financial years: 2020/21, 2021/22 and 2022/23.

According to “Agricultural Policy Action Plan (2014-2019), food security remains a challenge for the country, especially at local household levels.” The most vulnerable sector of our society is our rural communities who are the most impoverished citizens, yet there is so much land at their disposal, with a lack of resources to make use of the arable land surrounding them. In response to the plight of the rural communities, the department has introduced the Multi-Season Planting programme to focus mainly on summer crops that are stable food such as maize, beans, and vegetables, any surplus of these produce should be linked to Radical Agrarian Socio-Economic Transformation (RASET) programme.

DISTRICT:	APP TARGETS HA	COMMODITIES PLANNED FOR PRODUCTION 2020/21 (HA)
		COMMODITIES PLANNED FOR PRODUCTION 2020/21 (HA)
		MAIZE	BEANS	VEGETABLES & OTHER
Amajuba	1500	1142	270	88
Harry Gwala	4000	3610	370	20
King Cetshwayo	1200	300	800	100
uGu	2000	900	400	700
uMgungundlovu	1000	350	614	36
uMkhanyakude	2238	239	1228	771
uMzinyathi	3050	1920	880	250
uThukela	1700	1000	560	140
Zululand	3500	2660	755	85
eThekwini	250	98	112	40
iLembe	500	258	160	82
TOTALS	20938	12477	6149	2312
		60%	29%	11%

In response to the above-mentioned challenge, the department had to intervene with an aggressive and a holistic Multi-Seasonal Planting Programme to address food security in the province, especially for the marginalised farmers for food security and to participate in the mainstream agricultural economy.

The provincial government led by the honourable Premier of the province Honourable Sihle Zikalala took place on the 23^rd of October 2020 in uMzimkhulu Municipality under Harry Gwala District. The aim of the launch was to create awareness for the farmers involved in the programme and for local markets to recognise this programme.

The scope of the project is to review the planting season programme documents, including data collection templates, portfolio of evidence documents set indicators to measure performance. Focus on strengthening the M&E System, building capacity of extension officers, and producing credible data and quality M&E systems. The following are the agreed deliverables as per the contract:

An evaluation of the current multi-year planting programme by reviewing of documentation, policies and management and reporting tools that are in place.
Monitoring and evaluation of the multi-year planting programme activities (placing capacity to plan, co-ordinate and facilitate implementation, jointly with the Departmental teams).

Strengthening of the monitoring and evaluation system, together with management and reporting tools that result in credible data being provided, including spatial data.
Assessment and management of the DARD district-based physical resources–suitability, functionality or tractors, ploughs, harrows, ridges, and other implements.
Provide reports to Cabinet on progress on implementation and the impact thereof.
Provide DARD Management with bi-weekly reports on project implementation and recommendations to address challenges and bottlenecks.
Assist with the marketing of the produce through alignment with the RASET programme.
Recommend policy and implementation guidelines changes to improve delivery of the Multi-Season Planting Programme (MSP). These would include recommendations on the implementation models, areas to improve efficiency, monitoring and report systems and recommended tools.
A close out report to the Department of targets achieved over three-year period, register of all farmers and maps, and level of institutionalisation of the Multi-Season Planting Programme within the Department, and the road map for its continued implementation.

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As part of its main functions, SAFDA offers economic research and business advisory services, grower training and development, lobbying and advocacy for policies thereby ensuring the sustainability of all its members.

Multi Planting Project