The PALP project is a multi-million rand agribusiness project estimated at R45 million which will be established on a 10.6 hectares secured from the Government of South Africa. This project will place emphasis on poultry farming (50,000 birds), goat farming, beef processing, stock feed & drug manufacturing and horticultural production.

This project builds on the pilot of the same which was carried out between February 2023 to April 2024. In the last 12 months, a consortium made up of the Centre for African Government and Development (CAGD) at the Durban University of Technology (DUT), Africa Economic Development Strategies (AEDS) and Office of the Premier KwaZulu Natal Province launched a pilot programme of the Poverty Alleviation and Livelihoods Programme (PALP). The PALP, which was piloted in the Umkhanyakude District, sought to provide permanent solutions to challenges affecting goat farmers which inter alia include high mortality rate of kids, lack of knowledge on agronomic practices associated with goat farming and shortage of he-goats for breeding.

In this regard, AEDS, CAGD and OTP supported 20 women with the following interventions: i) training of the selected goat farmers; ii) provision of a scheduled vaccination programme; iii) provision of supplementary feeds; iv) provision of rams (he-goats) and goats for women who do not have goats; and v) assist the farmers in securing competitive goat markets. In the same vein, he-goats (impongo) were provided in a ratio of 1:25, that is, 1 ram for every 25 she-goats. In this project, in line with household survey carried out by the Department of Agriculture, 20 high quality rams were secured for the project and shared amongst the women. AEDS, OTP, CAGD and the Department of Agriculture assisted women to come up with a constitution which will be used to provide governance in the management of the rams as well as establishment of a cooperative, that is, Nyusokuhle Goat Farming Cooperative.

In view of these observations, AEDS, CAGD and OTP developed the PALP with a view to help communities restore, improve income generation activities and time regain their sources of livelihood in line with the aspiration of sustainable development goals (SDGs). Specifically, this project envisages to achieve the following SDGs:

1. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture (SDG #2). Before COVID 19 food security was reported to be on the rise, but the effects of COVID 19 is likely to result in escalating  numbers of stunted children since communities were hard hit by this pandemic especially small scale farmers, who comprise of 40%-85% of agricultural producers in developing countries.
2. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages (SDG #3). Again COVID 19 has further strained already strained healthcare systems in developing countries and developed countries were not spared. Immunization programmes of children were disrupted and communicable diseases such as malaria related illnesses and deaths are likely to spike.
3. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls (SDG #5). The lockdowns which were enforced by several governments to curb spread of COVID 19 resulted in increased violence against women and girls. Women and girls who usually spend more than 3 times as many hours in unpaid domestic work and care as men became  dependent  mostly on men for financial assistance, thereby resulting in them being vulnerable to abuse and violence.
4. Achieve inclusive growth as highlighted by Sustainable Development Goal 8 which envisages to “promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all”. The importance of this goal is centred on the fact that creating decent work, strengthening employment and income generating programmes is priori and  a sufficient requirement for poverty eradication.

This programme is anticipated  to contribute to restoring and improving income levels; diversifying income sources; strengthening  household food security; improving diet and  consumption; reducing  the number of households living below the poverty line and improving basic community healthcare.

In the last 9 months, as a  result of provision of he-goats, adequate vaccines and training programmes, the total number of goats increased by 102.2%, that is, from 229 to 463 goats. Before the interventions of the PALP programme, the first 9 months of 2022 saw 85 kids of goats being born. However, as a result of our interventions, a total number of 161 kids were born in the first 9 months of 2023. Out of the 463 goats, 25 goats were sold at an average price of R1800, that is, generating revenue amounting to R45,000.

The project received massive endorsement from the local leadership, OPT and DARD. To this end, the project was given land measuring 10.6 hectares for the establishment of the centre of excellence for stock feed and drugs manufacturing, that is, Feed and Drugs Manufacturing Innovation Hub. We successfully helped farmers to register a cooperative titled: Nyusokuhle Goat Farming Cooperative.