Work Program - Abalimi Phambili

Funder
In partnership with Teba Development and funding from the Chamber of Mines, Harmony Gold, Goldfields, Anglo American Chairman's Fund, Alfred Nzo DM, The Business Trust, Northam Platinum and Anglo Platinum.

Description
Small holder farmers are completely isolated from the essential business services they need for developing successful farming enterprises. Linkages with input suppliers, credit, mechanisation, technical information and produce markets are essential, to integrate small farmers into the broader agri-business industry. Access to land, water and on-farm infrastructure are also areas in which emerging farmers need assistance.

Since 2002, Teba Development and Lima have developed a large farmer support programme targeted at small farmers within communal areas, in 16 districts across three provinces. Each district has an agricultural facilitator, extension assistants and master farmers servicing on average 1 000 farmers per district. These facilitators are supported by agricultural managers and receive specialist support from horticulturists, agricultural economists and agricultural engineers.

Farming activities include dry land cropping, intensive irrigated vegetable and broiler production. A particular focus has been linking farmers with suppliers of high value and high tech inputs. Hybrid vegetable seedlings, day old chickens and virus free potato seeds as well as other less specialised inputs are now readily available to farmers as a result of the linkages facilitated by Lima . Many of these farmers are selling produce into formal markets for the first time. The activities of this emerging farmer grouping provide employment opportunities on-farm as well as with up-stream and down-stream suppliers. Donor funds are used to provide farmers much needed grant and loan funding. This funding enables farmers to install irrigation schemes, build poultry houses and erect nurseries. Revolving credit funding is also made available for the purchase of production inputs.

Impact
Over 12 000 individual farmers receive support from the Abalimi Phambili project over the 16 districts. Jointly theses farmers produce over R400million annually from their farms.

Areas Implemented:

• KwaZulu-Natal : Nongoma, Jozini
• Eastern Cape: Umzimkulu, Bizana, Lusikisiki, Flagstaff, Mt Frere, Mt Ayliff, Qumbu, Matatiele, Mqanduli, Port St Johns, Libode, Nqeleni and Elliotdale
• Mpumalanga : Bushbuck Ridge