“Failing to plan, is planning to fail
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE BUDGET VOTE 2010
Towards Vibrant, Equitable, Sustainable Rural Communities and Food Security For All
*The Department will be implementing 63 projects to the total budget of R 75 million
*284 employment opportunities will be created on farming sector
*In partnership with Potato SA, we will add value to potatoes we are producing in the Maluti-A-Phofung particularly in Kgolokoeng. Read more
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Makolobane Farm Enterprise yielding impressive results
Senior officials of the Free State Provincial Government visiting Makolobane Farm Enterprise, from left Ms Mokone Nthongoa (HOD for Police, Roads & Transport), Mr. Pitso Sekhoto, Dr. Limakatso Moorosi (HOD for Agriculture) and Ms. Botho Pule (District Director for Thabo Mofutsanyana).read more
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Useful Links
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RVF (RIFT VALLEY FEVER)
Rift Valley fever (RVF) is primarily a disease of livestock causing major economic losses across Africa and, sometimes, the Middle East, but is also a zoonosis resulting in human deaths on an annual basis. Capri poxviruses (including sheep pox virus, goat pox virus and lumpy skin disease virus of cattle) also cause major economic losses due to high mortality and morbidity rates in livestock across Africa, the Middle East, and central and northern Asia.
Dr Dungu, ARC President and CEO Dr Shadrack Moephuli, Dr Nuru and Prof Tony Musoke
Although vaccines are available against these diseases, vaccine-related complications such as under-attenuation and short-lived immunity are some of the problems which hamper their effectiveness. There is thus the need for more stable, multivalent vaccines which are safe, easy to store and administer, and provide long-term immunity.
(Read more...)
MEC of Agriculture Free State Budget Speech
Venue: Bultfontein, Time: 10H00, Date: 24 March 2010.
Rift Valley Fever disease outbreak
The Animal Health Directorate of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries reported laboratory confirmed the outbreaks of Rift Valley Fever disease on two farms in the Bultfontein area.
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In responding to this outbreak, the department has deployed response team comprising of Veterinarians, Animal Health Technicians in conjunction with the Department of Health. It has further procured 400 000 doses of the vaccine worth over R1.2 million to immunise the susceptible animals in the province. We have already started with the vaccination programme. This programme has been allocated a total of R42 million.
