Sustainable Resource Management: AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING SERVICES
The main function of the sub programme: Agricultural Engineering Services is to protect the natural resources of the Western Cape with the aim of maintaining a sustainable agricultural sector.
At the same time, we also deliver a variety of supportive agricultural enigineering services to our clients, as well as to all the Department’s reasearch farms in the Western Cape.
1. Animal housing and handling
Survey of area for new buildings or present buildings that can be utilised. Planning and design of economically viable animal housing and handling facilities for sheep, cattle, beef, dairy herds, chickens and pigs. Detailed costing of these facilities can be provided on request.
The design of manure handling facilities, such as retention dams to prevent pollution of rivers and streams, are also catered for.
We also do the design of affordable animal housing and handling facilities for small farmers.
2. Labour housing
The planning and design of cost effective on-farm labour housing and related services.
3. Conservation planning
The planning and design of advanced engineering structures, such as gabions, groynes, waterways and culverts, for soil conservation structures, including structures to prevent erosion of river banks.
4. Irrigation
The irrigation section provides advice and guidance to assist irrigators to use water more efficiently. These include the checking of irrigation system design and infield testing of irrigation systems to ascertain performance compliance. The running of programmes to promote the effective use of water is a main priority of this section.
Evaluation of available water resources for small farmer schemes and the design of irrigation systems for these farmers are also undertaken. These include water infrastructure planning, design and construction supervision.
5. Mechanisation
Mechanisation planning services are provided to farmers to ensure the optimal use of agricultural implements. The promotion of Conservation Farming in the Western Cape (minimum tillage, management of crop residues to maintain soil moisture and the implementation of a crop rotation scheme) is the main priority of this section.
We also provide advice and guidance on the conversion of existing implements to be used in conservation farming.
6. Product processing
The focus of this section is value adding of agricultural products on the farm through processes like drying, cooling, canning and packaging to increase profitability and competitiveness.
