Funding for farmers boosted

Qombolo farmers participating in the food security programme funded by the Eastern Cape Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform, hailed it as a life saver during MEC Mlibo Qoboshiyane’s recent visit.

Unemployment is at 46.6% in the Chris Hani District, including Tsomo. In Qombolo, 16% have no income, with 22.6% of its population earning less than R4 800 per month.

Rural Development and Agrarian Reform has invested about R800 000 since 2013 to help local farmer’s co-operative, Zanendyebo, to produce maize.

Zanendyebo Maize Project Chairperson, Jongikhaya Mdinginya said the project is helping them to earn income from selling maize to the markets, produce food for themselves and their livestock.

“Things were very bad before because we did not even have food to eat and our livestock was dying due to lack of feed. Now we don’t only have food on the table but we have healthy bank balances. People who participate in our project have more than 100 healthy cattle and sheep,” Mdinginya said.

Rural Development and Agrarian Reform MEC Mlibo Qoboshiyane said the department was motivated by the progress made by the farmers producing their own food in the fields that were fallow before 2010.

“We are seeing the production of maize in the rural villages where farmers planted maize on 78 hectares of land with the support from our department, the municipality, Jobs Fund and Grain SA. Farmers estimate to harvest 70 to 80 bags of maize, giving an average yield between 4-5 tones per hectare from these deep soils.

“We have to link them to the markets to process their maize, create jobs and we must look at helping them with fencing,” said Qoboshiyane.

Starting with only 20ha, Zandyebo’s land grew to 78ha through technical support from Grain SA, financial, mechanisation, seed and fertiliser support from the Jobs Fund, Intsika Yethu municipality, Rural Development and Agrarian Reform as part of its food security programme.

Qoboshiyane announced that his department was investing about R14 million in the 2017/18 financial year for maize production, veterinary services, livestock improvement and agriculture infrastructure development for the Intsika Yethu municipal area.

With 78 members, Zanendyebo started maize production in 2010. They sell their produce to Ncora Dairy and Umtiza Farmer’s Corp, earning income, which they use to support their families.

This programme is intended to benefit a total of 158 smallholder farmers and 5 603 clustered grain producers.

Photo: DRDAR Communications Zanendyebo Farmer’s project Chairperson, Jongikhaya Mdinginya showing Rural Development MEC, Mlibo Qoboshiyane their maize cob at the Qombolo mealie fields in Tsomo during the MEC's visit to the food security project of the department where 78 hectares...