TO expand the positive impact of agricultural initiatives, more investors need to be exposed to the investment potential and benefit of working within a network of professional partners and technical experts in the agricultural sector.
This was the key message delivered by the Masisizane Fund CEO Zizipho Nyanga at the Masisizane Flagship Harvest Day in Matatiele recently.
The event was hosted by the Masisizane Fund and one of its partners, the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA). Stakeholders from various public sector departments, local and provincial municipalities, the media and the Masisizane Agricultural Flagship Project clients and partners were in attendance at this economic empowerment and rural development showcase and awards ceremony.
Deputy Speaker for the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature, Mlibo Qoboshiyane gave a message of support for the work being done across the province by the Masisizane Fund and Old Mutual. In his keynote address, MEC for the Eastern Cape Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform Xolile Nqata emphasised the importance of private public partnerships (PPP’s) as a way to unlocking investment opportunities needed for the development of rural economies.
The Masisizane Fund Agricultural Flagship Project (which began in 2013 and operates in the areas of the Alfred Nzo District Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province and the Harry Gwala District Municipality in Kwa-Zulu Natal) integrates and clusters smallholder farmers into established and sustainable supply chains. The objective of the Flagship Project is to gain economies of scale and boost the participating farmers’ competitiveness.
SAICA and the Masisizane Fund have enjoyed a five year partnership where, through their collaborative efforts, have grown South Africa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and advanced the sustainable growth of small black businesses to create employment opportunities.
Over the past three years, SAICA, through SAICA Enterprise Development, has extended its support of the Masisizane Fund and has placed eight of their accounting graduates within the Agricultural Flagship offices to provide back-office accounting and money management support to the small-scale farmers within the Project, essential business skills to support a growing enterprise.
“Agriculture remains the prime source of livelihood for Africa’s rural poor and is increasingly being recognised as the sector that may unlock Africa’s full potential by combat its most pressing challenges,” said Wandisile Makwabe, Head of Agribusiness and Flagship Initiative.
“However, agricultural employment remains far behind its target of creating a million agricultural jobs by 2030 as envisaged in the National Development Plan. It is on this basis that we are working together to raise the awareness of this initiative to assist in creating jobs that add to the positive socio-economic activity in the area in which it operates by improving the livelihoods of the communities involved.”
As part of the programme, SAICA Executives awarded a selection of clients for their excellence in four categories: • Most improved flagship farmer in terms of crop yields and overall management (planning, budgets and people); • Best performing agricultural cooperative in terms of yields, cohesion and governance; • Best performing farmer in maize in terms of crop yields and overall management (planning, budgets and people) and • Best performing farmer in dry bean in terms of crop yields and overall management (planning, budgets and people).
“Having the opportunity today to showcase our top performing farmers and our rewarding partnership with SAICA which plays a crucial role in our Masisizane Agricultural Flagship Project. It supports our ambition to create a legacy of social and economic transformation which is truly in the making and partnering for a brighter tomorrow is a reality,” said Makwabe.