The Free State MEC for Agriculture, Rural Development and Environmental Affairs, Elzabe Rockman, tabled her department’s budget vote on Thursday, 23 April at Thabo Thokoza Secondary School in Bethlehem, Free State.
In her opening address, MEC Rockman said Agriculture in South Africa is more than just an economic activity. It is a lifeline. It feeds the nation, supports millions of jobs, and sustains rural communities. It is intrinsically woven into the social, economic, and moral fabric of our rural communities and economies
The Department for the MTEF 2026-2029 will receive an amount of R1 089.079 million in 2026/27, R1 139.417 million in 2027/28, and R1 170.339 million in 2028/29.
The budget allocation per programme is as follows;
· Administration: R242. 909 million
· Sustainable Resource Use & Management: R80 875 million,
· Agricultural Producer Support & Development: R393 488 million,
· Veterinary Services: R83 073 million,
· Research and Technology Development: R73 557 million
· Agricultural Economics Services: R17.554 million,
· Agricultural Education & Training: R24 762 million
· Rural Development: R13 356 million
· Environmental Affairs: R159 505 million
The following has been earmarked for funding;
· The Infrastructure Enhancement Allocation (IEA) amounts to R54.262
million with R20 million for Mohoma Mobung.
· Specific Earmarked Equitable Share amounts to R19 million allocated to
Disaster Management R10 million, R5 million for FMD and R4 million for Waste Management under Environmental Affairs.
· Conditional grants amount to R286. 377 million. This comprises of CASP
amounting to R271.171 million (noting that the Illima/Letsema grant is now
merged with CASP) and R10.071 million for LandCare.
The Free State and North West provinces have secured a significant investment of $5.4 million through the GEF-8 cycle of the Global
Environment Facility. The project is entitled “Restoration and sustainable development of Land for improved livelihoods in the degraded landscapes of the FS and NW provinces” and focuses on addressing degradation challenges across landscapes in the Letsemeng LM in the FS and the Greater Taung LM in the NW.
The project will unfold over a 60-month / 5-year period.
The University of the Free State, through the Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, Rural Development and Extension (CENSARDE), remains the department’s committed partner. Under the TAGDev 2.0 programme, the department has built a strong working relationship anchored in practical, community-facing interventions.
“Our collaboration extends beyond the NWGA programme and includes training women in rural communities in grain processing and launching small agri-businesses whilst out-of-school youth, students and women are enrolling in agri-entrepreneurship, new venture creation programs and business pitching that provide structured incubation and ongoing business support.” Said MEC Rockman.
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