South Africa’s Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) recently presented its Budget Vote for the 2023/24 financial year. In response to the challenges faced by rural communities due to extreme weather events, the COVID19 pandemic, and an ongoing electricity crisis, the department emphasized several key initiatives aimed at empowering and uplifting these communities. The following sections highlight some of the initiatives described in the budget vote.
World Hand Hygiene Day is celebrated annually on May 5th to raise awareness of the importance of hand hygiene in preventing the spread of infections and diseases. This year’s theme emphasizes the need to reduce the spread of infection and antimicrobial resistance in healthcare settings.
Recently, two commercial layer farms in the Paardeberg area of the Western Cape were found to have avian influenza. The Western Cape Government is urging both the agricultural sector and the public to be mindful and limit the spread of the disease to prevent further outbreaks. The disease has already caused the death or destruction of 120,000 birds, as confirmed on April 21 and 25.
