WOOL SHEEP DEVELOPMENT IN THE COMMUNAL AREAS RAM PROJECTS, CO-OPERATIVES AND INFRASTRUCTURE-DEVELOPMENT BY MR Z. MBATSHA NWGA REGIONAL MANAGER (COMMUNAL FARMERS) NWGA NATONAL CONGRESS, PORT ELIZABETH (28 MAY 2014)

BACK GROUND INFORMATION 15,000+ NWGA member wool growers in EC 3million+ sheep 1997/1998 season – development started in Communal areas of the Eastern Cape kg wool through Auction system to value of R ,00. Average price = R6,75kg (National Average Price = R12,25) Objectives - To improve the price realized by Communal sheep farmers. Encourage formal not through speculation To improve shearing and wool classing infrastructure. To provide shearing and wool classing through training

BACK GROUND INFORMATION CONT………. 2012/2013 season – 3,461,937kg greasy wool through auction system at R ,00. Average price R38,03/kg (National average price= R55,37). Five regions-Region 20,21,23,24 and Region 25,serviced by 8 Production advisors(5 Officials seconded from DRDAR).

GENETIC IMPROVEMENT SCHEME - RAM PROJECT COMPRISED OF THREE LEGS: RAM EXCHANGE PROGRAM home grown rams removed and replaced by 3000 quality rams. -More than 230 Communities benefiting from ram exchange program.

GENETIC IMPROVEMENT SCHEME - RAM PROJECT CONT……………….. EMERGING RAM BREEDERS -2013/2014, three emerging ram breeders identified Mr. A. Mjongile from Kei Road Mr. L. Maduna from Lady Grey Mr. V. Kama from Elliot RAM CLUB -Ram club established at Sarel Voster in Elliot -Guidelines for the Ram Club explained to Sheep farmer i.e. Age & Weight of the required ram lamb, first rams expected to be ready by 2016.

CO-OPERATIVE Service level agreement signed between the Department of Rural Development and Land Affairs and the NWGA. This entails NWGA assisting the DRDLR to establish 30 Co- operatives in our Communal Areas, 5 Co-operatives per district Municipality. First 5 co-operatives, one per district municipality used as the demonstration sites. Prof. Buthelezi from IFCD (Institute for co-operative development) from the University of Fort Hare will firstly help with the training of the NWGA production advisors and the personnel staff from DRDAR, Eastern Cape on how to correctly establish these co- operatives. Preparations be finalized before July 2014 and this project will take a period of 3- 5years.

CONCLUSSION The wool sales were very good this year and the Communal wool producers are very happy. Those farmers who were advised to keep their young sheep (Hoggets) and lambs, and market them separately did very well. Some of the prices were as follows:APH-R77,90 price per kg, BH- 69,00/kg, DL- 69,40. Some of our Communal sheds managed to get an average price of between R62,00 and R74,00 per kg for their whole clip.

THANK YOU Mr. Z. MBATSHA King Williams Town Eastern Cape Phone: / Fax: