Land Reform Advisory Desk (LREAD)
Together for Rural Development
What is LREAD?
LREAD is an acronym for Land Reform Advisory Desk. LREAD aims to effectively provide planning support to farmers, businesses, municipalities and land owners to structure land reform deals for agricultural transformation within the context of the National Development Plan.
Vision
To support the transformation of the agricultural sector in the Western Cape.
Mission
To provide guidance to farmers, businesses, municipalities and land owners to structure sustainable land reform for agricultural transformation within the context of the NDP.
Objectives
To provide advice to clients with the structuring of business models that will contribute to the attainment of NDP goals through a network of service providers (agri-experts) including academics.
The Desk is envisaged as a support facility for the clients and potential clients of the Department of Agriculture to support and coordinate internal and external expertise for land reform projects.
The Desk will be a formally established structure hosted by Casidra within the Unit for Technical Assistance (UTA). The Western Cape Department of Agriculture will fund this Desk within its Farmer Support and Development Programme under the auspices of Casidra, as an implementing agent, which will be responsible for the:
- Co-ordination
- Management
- Provision of secretarial functions related to the Unit.
All land reform beneficiaries, land owners, municipalities and businesses who have access to farmable land or resources and who are in need of assistance.
The Western Cape government has identified the poor progress with land reform as a major risk for the agricultural sector and for this reason, it requires attention from all stakeholders before the lack of progress destabilises the Western Cape economy.
Accordingly, land reform is recognised as a key component of one of the WCDoA’s Departmental Strategic Goals (DSG): Successful Land Reform: Ensure that at least 70% of all agricultural land reform projects in the Province succeed over the next five years.