Govt wants to boost game farming

GOVERNMENT is to give emerging commercial farmers on resettlement farms or in communal areas breeding stock to get into game farming.

The Ministry of Environment and Tourism says there are farmers in the said areas who are interested in game farming but do not have the capital to stock their farms with wildlife. Dr Fanuel Demas, the Acting Deputy Director of Scientific Services in the Ministry, said a programme of providing breeding stock of appropriate wildlife species to such farmers has been developed.Under the programme, the farmers have to return the same number of animals to the Ministry once the game populations on their farms have grown.Breeding herds will include Hartmann’s zebra, Burchell’s zebra, springbok, gemsbok, ostrich and eland.Preference will be given to historically disadvantaged applicants.Interested farmers can contact the Ministry of Environment and Tourism for further information.Dr Fanuel Demas, the Acting Deputy Director of Scientific Services in the Ministry, said a programme of providing breeding stock of appropriate wildlife species to such farmers has been developed.Under the programme, the farmers have to return the same number of animals to the Ministry once the game populations on their farms have grown.Breeding herds will include Hartmann’s zebra, Burchell’s zebra, springbok, gemsbok, ostrich and eland.Preference will be given to historically disadvantaged applicants.Interested farmers can contact the Ministry of Environment and Tourism for further information.