Agriculture

(a)    The sources of funding was the National Department of Agriculture and Western Cape Provincial Government. 
The National Department of Agriculture (DAFF) in 2011 in consultation with the ostrich industry (SAOBC) and the Provincial Department of Agriculture agreed to compensate ostrich farmers for all live ostriches originating from a HPAI farm, where farmers signed a contract to slaughter out all ostriches on the farm, including breeder birds and chicks. 
(b)    South Africa as a country has lost its International status as free from Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza [HPAI] since the HPAI outbreak in 2017.    
This responsibility rests with National government to ensure that fresh meat export can happen again. As we understand it, they need to first report the 2017 highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak as resolved to the OIE [World Organisation for Animal Health] and to the European Union [EU]. That outbreak was the reason that export of fresh ostrich meat was halted. Western Cape Veterinary Services is satisfied that this can be done, but National Animal Health has not agreed that evidence provided is sufficient and only they can report to the OIE. Additionally, we would have to show that South Africa has not had any new outbreaks of HPAI. 

Secondly, the EU Commission visited South Africa in 2016 for an audit of animal health controls and export certification for the ostrich industry. Their concerns with details of our disease surveillance and control have not yet been addressed to their satisfaction, though great progress has been made. Western Cape Veterinary Services is assisting with revision of the Ostrich Veterinary Procedural Notice, to try to address some of the EU’s concerns and, when finalised, the EU wants to assess it. This revision being prioritised but the document still needs to be agreed upon between the Provinces and National Government and to be assessed through public comment.  

It is not possible to apply for free status until there is enough evidence that there is no HPAI virus circulating. 

(c)    Farmers qualify for multiple levels of financial support from Government. 
Firstly, the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme (CASP) was established by the national Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) and is implemented by the Western Cape Department of Agriculture through its commodity-focused approach.  This programme is designed to create a favourable and supportive agricultural environment for the farming community which includes subsistence, smallholder and commercial land reform beneficiaries. The conditions for qualification is set out in criteria as reflected in the application forms, and covers, inter alia, legal access to land, legal access to water, finalized Environmental Impact Assessments where applicable, contribute to redress in the sector, and with the potential to sustain and create jobs.  Once the project is approved, the applicant are expected to enter into a contract with the Department of Agriculture or its project managers committing to the following:
a.    Commitment to ensure effective and productive usage of all equipment and inputs (assets may be removed if not used productively/misused);
b.    Give the Department access to financial, production and sales records of the business – through participation in the Financial Record Keeping Programme (FRK); and
c.    Roll-out Production Record Keeping Programme (PRPK), or any other recognised business management system.
d.    Commit to allow the Department access to the farm or business premises for extension services and monitoring purposes.
e.    Commitment to attend project meetings with the Department when required to do so.
f.    Commitment to participate in the capacity building and training programmes facilitated by the Department and its commodity partners.

Secondly, support in relation to Ecological infrastructure projects is also available to farmers. This includes: 
i)    Alien clearing projects, which falls within an area-wide planning priority area and where farmers have agreed to continue the initial work that the department has completed.
ii)    Fencing – areas identified as priority through area-wide planning projects to ensure the sustainable use of natural resource, e.g. rotational grazing.
iii)    River rehabilitation – a reach of river which has an impact on soil erosion, diversion, water availability, water quality and at risk of flooding. Agreement of the affected landowners are necessary to maintain the gains made.
iv)    Lower Olifantsriver Water User Association preventative maintenance: The project was identified based on the potential impact a break in the almost 100-year old canal would have on the agricultural production and water supply to the eight surrounding rural towns dependent  on the water from the canal.
v)    FruitLook remote satellite technology, which is available to all horticultural farmers across the province.