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Beefing up South Africa's meat markets
Although farming has always been an integral
part of rural life in South Africa's Eastern Cape province, for small scale farmers, like
Thandekile Rawana and Douglas Siphiwe Bobo, it is difficult to get ahead in the competitive
cattle market, historically dominated by white commercial farmers.
In 2005 the ComMark trust supported by UKaid, from the Department for International Development,
and WBHO construction launched the Eastern Cape Red Meat Project. The main objective
was to increase the income of rural cattle farmers by helping them get higher prices
for their livestock and address the extreme poverty in the Eastern Cape.
There are about 150,000 rural cattle owning households in the Eastern Cape.
Nationally there are around 420,000 or about one third of rural black households, so
the potential of the project to benefit low income rural farmers is enormous.
Thandekile Rawana, chairperson, Middledrift Farmer's Association.
Since we are involved with the ComMark, we are very satisfied with our price, because
now our cattle are graded. You are getting something more in ComMark
because they put it in the scale and also they grade our animals.
Training and education is key to the success of this project, as farmers learn how to better
look after their livestock they also learn that while the older cattle have cultural
value, these are not the cattle that have the best commercial value.
Auction day
For Siphiwe Bobo and Thandekile Rawana access to the formal market is an exciting prospect,
that has the potential to change their lives.
Thandekile: It helps us because, for instance you can sell a bulk of cattle here, unlike
when you are in our village. To sell one cow or one calf is not right because
you just get peanuts, but if you sell a bulk of cattle you can get a lot and you can do
something that is needed in your home. Like to build a house, like to send the people
to school or even if you want to buy a car. You can change your life if you sell a bulk
of cattle.
Siphiwe Bobo has had a successful day, after some negotiation he has sold his cattle at
an excellent price. He feels things have gone very well.
Douglas Siphiwe Bobo, farmer. Yes very well.
Especially with the cattle that were fed in the feed lot here.
It has helped us a great deal.
Alan Robb, auctioneer. There has been a definite improvement.
We see it on the sales, we see the quality of the stock has improved a lot.
The chaps are using better bulls in their herds, so in the general quality of the stock
that is being sold there has been quite a remarkable improvement.
Douglas: I for one and my colleagues, we are very happy about this scheme. Unless it's
stopped but otherwise we'll use it till we die!
By giving farmers skills, knowledge and access to markets, the Eastern Cape Red Meat Project
shows that cattle farming can be a profitable business for the rural poor across South Africa,
with the potential to help lift millions of people out of poverty.
To find out more about how the UK government is helping in South Africa visit: www.dfid.gov.uk/southafrica
UKaid from the Department for International Development