(a)(b) The business analysis and approval of submissions made by prospective producers for assistance are against a standardised measure of guidance as given through computerised budget (commonly called ComBud). Based on economic data generated the enterprise budget per hectare of a commodity under analysis is determined/created to guide an approval process.
The general norm for these two production factors is that labour contributes approximately 15% cost to the total farming cost while machinery contributes approximately 9% cost to the total gross value of the operation. Thus, the Department provides support using such margins as apportioned per data attributed to a commodity per given geographical area.
It should be noted that labour classification includes both seasonal and permanent personnel while the kind of commodity being analysed for support might include a variety of machines (this includes combine harvester, fertilizer equipment, planting equipment, spaying equipment etc.) and all are measured and costed.
(c) DALRRD through producer support programmes like Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme (CASP), Land Development Support (LDS), Ilima//Letsema, Blended Funding Scheme (BFS), and Farmer Production Support Units (FPSUs) assisted small and medium scale farmers with mechanisation and overhead related costs including labour for the specified period.