Welcome!
You've reached the Department of Agriculture: Western Cape's official website. This site is dedicated to providing an efficient and comprehensive agricultural information service.Looking for something specific? Try a SEARCH on this page.
Events calendar:
November 2008
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Calendar highlight
Read more here! For more information contact the Communication Team, Tel. (021) 808 5111.
Feedback: e-mail the Webmaster with comments or questions.
Links to websites of agricultural events, festivals, shows
AGRI-YOUTH:
Careers, info, games and more
Your weather today
National Warning, 19 November:
Conditions favourable for the development of runaway fires are expected in places in the Cape Metropole and West Coast District.
LATEST NEWS
First announcement: third Capri seminar: Extension innovation in South Africa
Enhancing the New NORMS & STANDARDS for Extension and Advisory Services in South Africa, in line with the National Extension Recovery Plan4 &5 December 2008, Regent Hotel, East London. Read more here.
2008/11/18
Eco-wool initiative by national wool industry
The eco-wool initiatvie of the National Wool Grower's Association is an initiative to encourage best practises in wool production systems. The programme also aims to measure the degree of adherence to a set of best practice guidelines by means of a peer assessment system. For further information about the programme, as well as supporting documentation and contact details, please click here.2008/10/29
Current situation: Western Cape Water supply - 17 Sept
The system remains essentially full, though Voelvlei has been deliberately drawn down to 99.4% as is explained below.Voelvlei is an off-channel dam which receives the bulk of its water from two feeder canals from the 24 Rivers/ Leeu River and the Klein Berg River. The diversion from these rivers can be stopped so that Voelvlei was designed without a spillway. However, local runoff from the surrounding areas can cause Voelvlei to continue filling. To create a buffer to absorb this local runoff and to prevent the water level from rising too much in Voelvlei Dam, about 5 m3/s is currently being released from the dam. As a result the Voelvlei Dam is currently about 99.4% full instead of 100% full. Read more here.
2008/08/29
Climate Change
Services
- Veterinary laboratory services
- Plant production laboratory services
- Pest monitor
- Weather analysis Agri-Outlook - Oct '08 now available
- Agricultural statistics
- Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ
Programmes
What do we do? The following programmes should show you ....- Sustainable Resource Management
- Technology, Research and Development
- Farmer Support and Development
- Agricultural economics
- Structured Agricultural Training
- Veterinary Services
Career opportunities: click here
Media
At the Department of Agriculture, much information can be downloaded by using the following links:- Information sheets
Information sheets provide information about animals production and diseases, plant production and diseases, and many other topics of agricultural interest. - Agri-Probe
Our quarterly magazine, fully downloadable. - Radio Elsenburg
Afrikaans radio programmes from Radio Sonder Grense - Official Publications
Official publications, such as the Annual Report, Strategic plans, etc. - Other publications
Includes guides, strategic documents, collaborative publications with other stakeholders.
Training & Youth
Degree course? Short courses? Your career in agriculture starts here! Agricultural training is offered by the Department at the Cape Institute for Agricultural Training: Elsenburg.
Click here for more information on Higher Education courses and Further Education and Training courses.
Check out what agriculture offers in terms of career opportunities here.
Combining in-service training and independent research - the Young Professionals Programme offers opportunities for students who wish to complete their Master's degrees.
Emerging farmer?
- Land reform enquiries?
Although the Department of Agriculture: Western Cape is not directly involved with land claims, the procedure for land claims is outlined here. Contact details for the Department of Land Affairs are also available here. - Want to set up a food garden? We can help!
Special interest
- Climate Change
Climate change is widely recognised as the most serious environmental threat to our planet. - read more here. - PROVIDE project
The Provincial Decision-Making Enabling (PROVIDE) Project is a national project to facilitate policy decision-making. - Water and biodiversity
The Western Cape is particularly vulnerable in terms of surface water as well as biodiversity. Have a look here for links to our activities relating to water and biodiversity.
