SOME 80% of staff at the Agricultural and Rural Development Corporation in Northern Province face the axe after the agriculture department severely cut the corporation’s budget this year. ARDC Managing Director Dr Alidzulwi Naledzani said on Wednesday that the corporation’s financial woes began last year when its budget was cut from R74-million to R48-million. This year, its budget allocation was a mere R25-million. Naledzani said retrenchments will affect all staff, from the managers of various projects, to gardeners and cleaners. At least 1200 of the 1500 current employees face the axe.