Page 16 - 07 Cotton SA Desember 2015

Enhancement of cotton

production by smallholder

farmers in South Africa

The Agricultural Research Council (ARC), funded by the Department of Rural Development and Land
Reform (DRDLR), entered into a funding agreement with Cotton SA to enhance cotton production in

selected areas around the country. This initiative was to promote cotton production by smallholder
farmers in the country by assisting them to become sustainable producers of high quality cotton. This
will also apply to the on-going job creation potential of the programme related to continuous cotton
production to feed the entire value chain.

Introduction District, KwaZulu-Natal). The Makhathini Cotton Project looks
he DRDLR and ARC undertook to execute the above at sustainably running and managing the Makhathini cotton
agreed deliverables as was negotiated and through gin and associated irrigation infrastructure. Ubongwa is
the facilitation of ARC, the programme includes, an association representing all the cotton growers on the
CottonSA amongst the significant implementing Makhathini Flats and is responsible for the running of the
T stakeholders. The programme was implemented in cotton gin.
KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and Mpumalanga. The programme The Agricultural Research Council (ARC), through a funding
envisages the continuation for a 5 year period in support of provided by the Department of Rural Development and
promotion of cotton production by smallholder farmers in Land Reform (DRDLR) has recently taken the lead in finding
these and other areas. a sustainable solution to the operation of the cotton gin.
KwaZulu Natal: Makhathini This intervention has provided financial support and training
Makhathini is situated in the Jozini Municipality (Umkhanyakude to the cotton gin through a grant to Ubongwa. As such,

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