Eastern Cape Agriculture MEC Nonceba Kontsiwe has handed over farming equipment valued at more than R1.5 million to the Port St Johns Irrigation Scheme ahead of the Agricultural Show.
The equipment includes a tractor, trailer, ripper, boom sprayer and disc, which are expected to assist farmers with land preparation, crop management and improving production efficiency.
The irrigation scheme operates on 59 hectares of communal land and is managed by two farmers who inherited the farming responsibilities from their fathers, continuing agricultural activities that have been passed down through generations.
Of the 59 hectares available, 19 hectares are currently under cultivation. The farmers produce grain maize and several types of vegetables, including cabbage, spinach and butternut.
The newly supplied machinery will assist with various farming activities, from preparing the soil for planting to managing crops during the growing season.
The equipment is also expected to help the farmers carry out agricultural work more efficiently on the land already under cultivation.
The handover forms part of the Eastern Cape Department of Agriculture’s support for the irrigation scheme and its ongoing farming operations.
