"There are many challenges here. Stakeholders are not well co-ordinated, the Department of Land Reform is a stakeholder that is not represented here today. Department of Agriculture is represented here. Land Claims Commission is also not represented here. They are supposed to be here as well because there is a very difficult land claim here between the church and the community and that process seems not to be moving forward. It is worrying why the stakeholders are not well co-ordinated so that productivity on this farm can move forward," says Dr Mateme.
Ameliestein Farm, situated in Zoar in Kannaland was purchased by the government for the community of Zoar. The 7200 hectors of land farm sustains itself through dairy farming and seed production.
The NCOP delegation that visited the farm also included members of the Western Cape provincial government and the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Kannaland. All members of the three spheres of government voiced their dissatisfaction with the manner in which this project was managed. "We are not quite satisfies but we are told that there has been progress regards the production of seeds that has been started by the farm. We are also told that milk production which has been started here is breaking even, not yet at the profit making level but they are breaking even," says Dr Mateme.
By Faith Kwaza
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