A Farmers Day was held in Bizana during November, for sweet potato and banana producers who form part of the Abalimi Phambili Programme (APP) in the Eastern Cape. The Day was highly successful, with attendance from many farmers, municipality, SAPS, Institute of National Resources as well as the Department of Agriculture.

Inspiring speeches were given from individual farmers who acknowledged that it is time to test different vegetables besides maize. Mkuseli Madikizela, a facilitator at Lima said, “we need to interpret our market research and review which vegetables are in demand and which are over produced, and thereafter select which vegetables should be grown.”

Prior to the opening of the Farmers Day, a tour was conducted of various banana and sweet potato producers in the area who showed immense potential. A visit was also made to a banana trial site where experiments were in place testing the various combinations of banana cuttings or seed, fertilizers and mulch; to analyse the various outcomes and what best suits the area.

Farmers are currently linked to credible output markets through support from Gold Fields. Over the last few months, focus has been placed on investigating banana market linkages in which a need has been identified to create a co-operative so that Bizana banana farmers can compete in the banana market place.

This is still currently under investigation, and assistance is being sought from the Institute of Natural Resources, who are funded by the World Research Council, to help with supply chain management of the banana market in Bizana and Lusikisiki.