Drought not severe enough for aid

By: *LINDSAY DENTLINGER

DEPUTY Minister of Agriculture Paul Smit has ruled out Government assistance to help feed livestock in areas where rainfall has not been good this year.

In response to a request for assistance from the DTA's Phillemon

Moongo, Smit said the past rainy season could be described as

normal to below normal in certain areas, and those places that

received below-normal rain could not be declared disaster areas.

Smit said that in terms of Government policy, a drought disaster

could only be declared in the case of severely low rainfall.

 

Smit said droughts of this magnitude usually only occurred once

in 14 years.

 

"This means that farmers could be eligible to receive assistance

in only seven years out of 100 on average, and it is only in these

cases that Government can help," Smit told the National Assembly

last week.

 

He said farmers should apply drought-management practices when

rainfall was below normal, and reduce their livestock in time.

 

"The areas where no grass is available might be due to

overstocking in these areas," said Smit.

 

To Moongo's request, Smit said Government was not in favour of

supplying farmers with livestock feed, as it was too expensive to

sustain livestock in this way for a long period of time.

 

Smit said it also had a negative impact on natural

resources.

 

"Government will only assist farmers during a disaster drought

with lease of grazing and transport of livestock to emergency

grazing areas, because it is more cost effective and sustainable to

assist farmers in this way for the survival of the core herds."

 

Smit said that in terms of Government policy, a drought disaster

could only be declared in the case of severely low rainfall.Smit

said droughts of this magnitude usually only occurred once in 14

years."This means that farmers could be eligible to receive

assistance in only seven years out of 100 on average, and it is

only in these cases that Government can help," Smit told the

National Assembly last week.He said farmers should apply

drought-management practices when rainfall was below normal, and

reduce their livestock in time."The areas where no grass is

available might be due to overstocking in these areas," said

Smit.To Moongo's request, Smit said Government was not in favour of

supplying farmers with livestock feed, as it was too expensive to

sustain livestock in this way for a long period of time.Smit said

it also had a negative impact on natural resources."Government will

only assist farmers during a disaster drought with lease of grazing

and transport of livestock to emergency grazing areas, because it

is more cost effective and sustainable to assist farmers in this

way for the survival of the core herds."

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