Despite the recent rains, large parts of the Western Cape, specifically the Central Karoo, Little Karoo, and the Northern parts of the West Coast, are still experiencing drought conditions.
For this reason, the Western Cape Department of Agriculture (WCDoA) has disbursed drought support totalling R48.1 million to farmers in the worst affected areas in these regions.
Based on its Provincial Risk Assessment, including technical veld assessments, the WCDoA distributed 4065 fodder vouchers over three months (April -June 2022) to livestock farmers in critical drought areas.
Provincial Risk Assessments are undertaken to determine, amongst others, the current status of the prevailing drought through the evaluation of the natural veld conditions. The natural veld condition is an excellent indicator to identify areas still experiencing a drought.
Areas with below-average rainfall predicted for the next eight months were prioritised for support.
In the 2021-2022 financial year, the WCDoA implemented the following drought risk reduction interventions:
The WCDoA is committed to supporting farmers in drought-stricken areas. However, the nature of the support will be determined by the outcome of future provincial risk assessments.
Daniel Johnson
Spokesperson for Minister Ivan Meyer
Tel: 079 990 4231
Email: Daniel.Johnson@westerncape.gov.za