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The Nkangala
Goats Project
The Nkangala Goats Project is one of the Scientific Roets
Capricorn Projects and is a local development initiative of the
Nkangala District Municipality of the Mpumalanga Province (by
whom it is funded). In 2005, a Feasibility Study and Business
Plan was completed by Scientific Roets and then they were
appointed to develop the production infrastructure, establish
the relevant institution for this project, purchase the initial
goat production stock and launch the project.
The main objectives of this project is to create job
opportunities, to develop a goat production and processing
infrastructure, to develop skills in goat management and value
adding processes, to create a ready market for live goats, goat
meat, breeding animals, offal and skins, to produce products for
the local and national markets (male kids, meat, breeding
animals, offal and skins), to organize farmer groups into
co-operatives (co-operative development and human capacity
building), to create self employment and to create group
empowerment.
Scientific Roets is the implementing agent on this project and
the following activities are currently taking place:
- Training and development of
goat production and processing skills: The Mineworkers
Qualifications Authority funded a goat skills programme for
100 learners which were drawn from the local municipalities of
Emalahleni, Thembisile and Dr J. S. Moroka. In 2006, 91
learners completed the training. Furthermore, 46 of these
learners from Thembisile completed a full NQF 1 Animal
Production Learnership funded by AgriSETA in 2007. A further
12 learners (from Emalahleni) has recently (November 2007)
completed this NQF 1 Animal Production Learnership funded by
AgriSETA.
- Infrastructural design and
construction: Scientific Roets is designing and managing the
construction of the goat production infrastructure that will
be situated at the Hartebeesspruit Farm at Moloto. An
environmental impact assessment has been completed on the
farm. According to the design and recommendations of the
Business plan, this farm will be used as a breeding unit from
which the production co-operatives will source their breeding
stock. Goat handling infrastructure has also been purchased
and will be installed on two production farms that belong to
the production co-operatives. The KwaMhlanga abattoir will be
used for slaughtering and processing of goats from production
co-ops. Scientific Roets is in the process of sourcing funding
for the upgrade and commissioning of this abattoir and for the
addition of a goat processing plant on the abattoir.
- The institutional development
of this project entails the establishment of the Masibambisane
Goat Farming Company (PTY) Ltd, a name that was unanimously
decided by project beneficiaries. The shareholders of this
company will be the production co-ops, Tortello Investments
(abattoir operators), and the Thembisile Local Municipality as
a silent partner.The finalization of this process is in
progress.
When fully operational this
project will see:
- The sourcing of breeding
stock by the production co-operatives (currently four) from
the central breeding unit at Moloto,
- Farming with these goats and
production of live goats that will be marketed to the
KwaMhlanga abattoir for slaughtering and processing,
- And selling value added
products to retail shops and the local community.
The farmers will benefit from
having access to a ready market for their livestock and are also
shareholders of the entire production chain.
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