Wildlife breeding plan for previously disadvantaged

GOVERNMENT plans to introduce a wildlife breeding scheme for eligible affirmative action farmers and on resettlement farms as an income-generating measure for historically disadvantaged persons.

Government will make loans available under a scheme to be administered by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism. There will be three categories.Historically disadvantaged people who have land acquired under the resettlement programme or Affirmative Action Loan Scheme, or through leaseholds on communal land that is suitable for the programme, will qualify under the high priority category.Disadvantaged people who acquired suitable land by other means will qualify under the second priority category.The third priority category will include corporate or joint owners of land where the proven ownership of people in the historically disadvantaged category amounts to at least two thirds of the equity.Applicants who do not meet the above criteria will be considered as lowest priority.Criteria require that a land unit must be able to keep a viable population of the selected species.The area must not be smaller than 1 000 hectares and must be properly fenced.Other considerations include how compatible the wildlife production will be in relation to other uses of the land, stocking rates for livestock and other development objectives, the current status of wildlife on the land and the potential of the land unit to enhance rare species management.Applications for participation will be followed by a technical evaluation of the land unit and that participants must be willing to enter into a contract with the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, which supplies the game species.In 2004, Cabinet authorised the Ministry to map out the wildlife loan scheme.There will be three categories.Historically disadvantaged people who have land acquired under the resettlement programme or Affirmative Action Loan Scheme, or through leaseholds on communal land that is suitable for the programme, will qualify under the high priority category.Disadvantaged people who acquired suitable land by other means will qualify under the second priority category.The third priority category will include corporate or joint owners of land where the proven ownership of people in the historically disadvantaged category amounts to at least two thirds of the equity.Applicants who do not meet the above criteria will be considered as lowest priority.Criteria require that a land unit must be able to keep a viable population of the selected species.The area must not be smaller than 1 000 hectares and must be properly fenced. Other considerations include how compatible the wildlife production will be in relation to other uses of the land, stocking rates for livestock and other development objectives, the current status of wildlife on the land and the potential of the land unit to enhance rare species management.Applications for participation will be followed by a technical evaluation of the land unit and that participants must be willing to enter into a contract with the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, which supplies the game species.In 2004, Cabinet authorised the Ministry to map out the wildlife loan scheme.