E THEK W I NI • AG RO-E CON OM Y
City helps cooperatives to grow
EThekwini Municipality has a dedicated department called Agri-Business, which falls under the Business Support, Tourism and Markets Unit. The Agri-Business Department’s objective is to incubate start-up and growth entrepreneurs operating in the sustainable food value chain.
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he Agri-Business Department also works to develop previously disadvantaged entrepreneurs that can produce, process, and deliver food in a sustainable and profitable manner. An empowering set of programmes have been established by the department. These include youth nurseries, fencing and irrigation, poultry farms, tunnel farm rentals, access-to-market programmes, and training and mentorship. The achievements of the department and its programmes are unrivalled.
52 | eTHEKWINI 2021
by Council, focuses on five key areas. These Thus far, there has are vegetables, sheep, been an investment The eThekwini broilers, cannabis of approximately Agribusiness Master Plan and piggery. It is a R96.1 million by is earmarked to create guiding document the municipality, 2 371 direct jobs, 7 500 that aligns eThekwini’s provincial indirect jobs and attract agricultural initiatives government, and a total GDP of with current other stakeholders. R10 billion agricultural development Markets have been approaches nationally opened for previously and in KwaZulu-Natal. It is disadvantaged farmers and earmarked to create 2 371 direct over 1 400 permanent jobs have jobs, 7 500 indirect jobs and attract been created. a total gross domestic product of In addition, the eThekwini Agribusiness R10 billion. Master Plan, which has been adopted
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