The acquisition of a large hatching machine by the Kgora Farmers Training Centre in Mahikeng is expected to intensely increase the poultry production capacity at this institution to twelve thousand (12000) chicks a month. The machine is both a hatcher and setter combined. It can also hatch ducks, geese, quail and pigeons.
This is an upgrade as the hatchery that the centre was using before could only produce up to two thousand
(2000) chicks per week and could not meet the high demand of chickens meant for food security projects.
The purchasing of this equipment by the Department is also in response to the request by Minister Thoko Didiza during her visit to the Centre in February this year. In her meeting with MEC Desbo Mohono, the Minister highlighted a need for the centre to also hatch broilers stating that there is a shortage of day old broilers in the country.
Kgora introduced for the first time basic hatchery management training to its list of skills development courses last year. The aim of the course was to train aspiring poultry as well as experienced farmers to improve their results.
Farmers who would enroll for this training will learn the practical aspects of hatchery management which includes the biology of fertile egg production and handling, setter and hatcher environment, processing day-old chicks and hatchery biosecurity.
In response to these developments, MEC Desbo Mohono said this was indeed an improvement and a step in the right direction. “We welcome this development and this means we will now be able to produce more broilers. This also means we will now increase the number of beneficiaries because the chickens that we produce here are donated to farmers in the province for rearing and others are donated to different applicable projects as part of departmental food security programmes,” MEC Mohono pointed out.
Kgora is a state-owned agricultural skills training centre based in Mahikeng and tasked with a responsibility to improve farming skills of all levels. It is accredited by the Agricultural Sector Education and Training Authority (AgriSETA), as an education and training provider in the agriculture sector on animal and plant production. On successful completion of courses, students are offered national certificates NQF 1 – 4 that are recognized by the South African qualifications Authority in terms of the SAQA Act of 1995.
Training at this centre ranges from excursion, demonstrations, and refreshers up to credit bearing unit standards to address knowledge and skills gaps on arable farming, livestock husbandry, agribusiness, and aquaculture as well as on organizational, marketing and financial management.
The Centre can only accept up to a certain number of participants at a time, therefore it is operated on a first come first serve basis. Members of the public are urged to enquire with the local agricultural offices on skills development courses offered at Kgora Farmers Training Centre.
