Durban — Msinga co-operatives are expected to generate an estimated R3 million in profit in the next three months, through a partnership with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, in an effort to bring the economy back to the rural communities.
The department launched the Umnotho Kubantu outreach programme on Tuesday in Tugela Ferry, an initiative under the Radical Agrarian Socio-Economic Transformation (Raset), which seeks to link farmers to the market, to accelerate the production of quality produce through education, and to ultimately assist small-scale and emerging farmers in running profitable businesses.
Trucks have been procured by the department, and will be dedicated to transporting farm-fresh produce to local markets.
Seven co-operatives, which are mainly composed of women farmers, have created over 1 700 job opportunities, contributing towards poverty alleviation.
To date, more than 4 000 KZN farmers have made a turnover of R151 million since the launch of the programme.
Agriculture and Rural Development Department MEC, Super Zuma, accompanied by the Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and People with Disabilities, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, visited the Tugela Ferry Irrigation Scheme, and joined in the harvesting of cabbages, which were transported by the Raset trucks to local Boxer and Spar supermarkets.
Zuma said: “This is a momentous occasion for us as the department and the people of Msinga. We have seen in the past, produce getting wasted, families and farmers losing money because of a lack of markets.
“Our goal is to uplift the dignity of our people. We never want to hear of families going without food, particularly because we have also introduced our ‘One Home, One Garden’ programme to families.
“We have further extended this programme to the local schools, branding it ‘One School, One Garden’ for children from impoverished homes.
“Farmers who are already doing a stellar job will be given verified certificates from the department, certifying them as commercial farmers. Those who are in need of water will receive water once we have finished with our borehole and dam projects.”
Dlamini Zuma said: “Mothers and our young small-scale farmers no longer have to relocate, chasing life in the big cities where they are sometimes forced to live in shacks, but can create wealth for themselves within their rural communities through these available programmes.”
The chairperson of the Msinga Farmer Protection Support Unit (FPSU), Vezokuhle Khumalo, said they had received R150 000 worth of cabbage and spinach seedlings from the department.
“What we have been longing for, has finally happened. Our produce will be delivered at the market, and not one family among us will be without food.”
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