Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism

Question by: 
Hon Nomi Nkondlo
Answered by: 
Hon Ivan Meyer
Question Number: 
1
Question Body: 

Regarding the current drought in the province:

  1. Whether his Department is in possession of the official declaration of the state of disaster as classified and issued by the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA); if so, can a copy of the declaration be made available;
  2. whether his Department has initiated and adopted a comprehensive plan to manage, coordinate and administer drought-related interventions following the declaration of the state of disaster by COGTA; if not, why not; if so, (a) what are the key com-ponents of the plan, (b) what budget has been allocated for its implementation in the 2025/26 financial year and (c) can a copy of the approved plan and its implement-ation framework be made available?
Answer Body: 
  1. Yes, published in Government Gazette Volume 728, No. 54076, 4 February 2026.
  2. The department is currently updating and implementing the plan which has been in existence since 2016. 
    1. Key components of the plan are:
        1. The Department conducts disaster risk assessments with farmers across the Western Cape. These assessments enable the Department to identify at-risk and vulnerable farming communities that may be susceptible to drought and prolonged dry conditions.
        1. The Department prioritises and promotes risk prevention, risk reduction, and risk mitigation measures to strengthen disaster resilience.
        1. Drawing on the lessons learned from the 2015–2018 Western Cape drought, the department has established processes to ensure the effective and efficient distribution of support to beneficiaries.
    1. The Department is currently reprioritising available funding to provide fodder support to vulnerable farmers. The areas identified for assistance include the Central Karoo, Garden Route, Cape Winelands (Tankwa Karoo), and Overberg (Barrydale).
    1. The Department has a final draft of the updated Western Cape Agriculture Drought Plan out for comment. Once finalised, a copy will be shared.
Date: 
Friday, March 6, 2026
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