R500 million to assist over 15 000 SA farmers during Covid-19

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RELIEVED: More than ten thousand farmers will receive emergency relief funding from government to offset the devastation of the Covid-19 lockdown. PICTURE BY Twitter

The money is part of a R1.2 billion package that was announced by the department last month.


Over 15 000 farmers were accepted for a grant that would cost R500 million from the Agricultural Disaster Fund.

The money is part of a R1.2 billion relief package that was announced by the department last month.

Applications to access help from the fund were received between 8 and 22 April – with over 15 000 getting accepted.

Minister Thoko Didiza said they received 55 000 applications from farmers but were only able to accept 15 036.

ALSO SEE: Vusi Shongwe calls for extension of farmers aid deadline

Didiza said the process will be opened again and assist more farmers to ensure there is enough food production in South Africa.

She said they had problems with applicants who didn’t produce the convincing documents, leading to their applications not being successful.

She said over half of the accepted applicants are livestock farmers, 

Didiza said together with poultry farmers and vegetables growers, the successful livestock farmers will in their totality receive 88% of the approved R500 million.

A program of land redistribution, from an extra R400 million fund in the Proactive Land Acquisition Strategy, will also help.

Furthermore wine farmers in the Cape have been assisted by Didiza’s government to ensure production is not disrupted. She said they didn’t want a situation where the wine producers lose their international customers due to the hindrances of Covid-19 on productions and sales.

She added other farmers will be assisted as time goes and seasons change…

“When the time comes, necessary announcements will be made,” she said.

(edited by MLM)

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