Official hand-over of livestock dipping and handling facilities

The National Emergent Red Meat Producers’ Organization (NERPO) in conjunction with Mutual and Federal Insurance Company Ltd (M&F) have taken public private partnerships to another level. On Friday, 13th April 2012, the duo will officially be hand-over dip

The Honourable Premier of the North West Province, Mme Thandi Modise is expected to officially accept the facility on behalf of the provincial government and the community of Lehurutse.

This joint initiative culminates from one of NERPO’s key strategic objective which is to facilitate emerging livestock farmers’ access to technical support, credit facilities, markets and infrastructure in order to improve their competencies as commercial farmers. In pursuit of this noble cause, the Livestock Handling & Dipping Facilities programme was introduced as an integral part of NERPO’s intervention to key infrastructural needs for livestock handling and tick control in our rural farming communities.

Mutual & Federal Insurance Company Ltd has generously committed sponsorship of the installation/resuscitation of the needed infrastructure in all nine provinces of South Africa, and the benefitting communities have been requested to commit to looking after and maintaining the infrastructure.

In the North West Province, five crush pens, each equipped with a neck clamp, generators, spray race and loading ramp have been installed in Driefontein, Rietpan, Gopane, Borakalalo and Moshana cattle posts. To ensure proper control and management of this facility built at total cost of over R500 000, the farmers of Lehurutshe have formed management committees for each of these crush pens, to oversee their usage, while government is expected to take share responsibility of maintaining the facility.

Through this initiative, NERPO is determined to heighten partnership with Mutual and Federal and government out of which an enabling agribusiness environment can be achieved for growth and development of the emerging farmers.

“We at NERPO are highly thankful to Mutual & Federal for their devoted support to the emerging livestock farmers of South Africa and would like to spend this day recognizing their contribution and the potential it has for primary animal health care of the livestock in Lehurutshe” said, NERPO’s Group Managing Director, Mr. Aggrey Mahanjana.

Among other key speakers invited to grace this historic event, are the MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Buitomelo Tshwene as well as the Executive Mayor of Ramotshere Moiloa Cllr. Africa Thale.