Poor yields affect CEDA repayments-Thamane
Drought has hindered Citizen Entrepreneurship Development Agency’s (CEDA) intentions to increase its investment support to Mosi/Sedibeng Block farmers. CEDA Chief Executive, Thabo Thamane, disclosed during the annual Mosisedi Harvest Day last week, regretting the Agency’s failure to support Mosi/Sedibeng Block farmers. “Our plan as CEDA was to increase this investment as we aid farmers in improving their farming techniques, however the plans have not materialised due to reduced output which resulted in failure by most farmers to honour their obligations with us,” said Thamane. Over the years, government’s owned financial agency has invested over P61.4 million in the Mosi/Sedibeng Block for farm development, machinery acquisition and working capital. According to Thamane, during the current season -2018/19, the Agency invested P8.8m as compared to P9.6m in 2017/18 for working capital. Thamane said the phenomenon is not unique to the Mosi/Sedibeng Block, as farmers across the country are facing the same challenges. “CEDA has measures in place to assist farmers, which include, restructuring of loans for those farmers that could not pay their installments due to losses associated with adverse weather conditions,” said Thamane. In addition, CEDA continues to engage and collaborate with other stakeholders, provide free business advisory services to farmers as well as encourage linkages across the industry value chain. It also encourages farmers to subscribe to the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme (ACGS), which was set up by government to assist dry-land farmers with crop cover. Meanwhile, government is fast-tracking a drought management strategy and incorporating climate change interventions in agriculture in an effort to introduce drought compliant crops and livestock.