DA calls for waivers on red tape in Agro Energy Fund to protect farmers against loadshedding
1 September 2023
Following a sustained public campaign by the DA in which we called for urgent action to cushion farmers against the debilitating impact of loadshedding, we cautiously welcome the announcement made by the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Thoko Didiza, on a new Agro Energy Fund (AEF).
The AEF is a blended finance programme between the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) and the Land Bank that will provide support to farmers to acquire renewable energy assets to power their operations.
The DA however, remains deeply concerned that the DALRRD and the Land Bank have placed insurmountable red tape as part of the list of requirements that farmers must comply with before they qualify for funding under the AEF. This is highly exclusionary and will leave many farmers ineligible for funding.
We are therefore calling on Minister Didiza and the Land Bank to consider implementing waivers on some of the qualifying criteria for applications that provide costed and bankable business proposals. If a farming enterprise can make a strong business case of proven business operations that are sustainable, it should not be disqualified from the AEF.