Eastern Cape farmers welcome R1.5m equipment boost

Farmers at Mgxabakazi Farming in Port St Johns are set to improve agricultural production and expand their operations, following a R1.5 million investment in farming equipment by the Eastern Cape Department of Agriculture.  

Eastern Cape Agriculture MEC Nonceba Kontsiwe handed over a new tractor, trailer and agricultural implements during a visit to the farm in Mthombo village, where farmers welcomed her with ululations, dancing and embraces. 

Co-owner of the farm, Mluleki Jico, said the equipment will help improve production, reduce operational delays and strengthen their farming business.

The equipment will also address the challenges associated with hiring tractors, which often arrived late and disrupted production of green mealies and vegetables.

“Today we are being gifted with a tractor. We had challenges in our farming operations, but today we have seen the government, or rather the government has seen us, and it has responded to the issues we faced,” Jico said.

He called on the government to continue investing in farmers, saying visible support is helping them overcome operational challenges and improve their prospects of success.

Mgxabakazi Farming is a collaborative agricultural initiative involving Jicholas Investments and Tita Ka Pelane Trading Enterprise, operating under a communal land tenure system.

The farm covers approximately 52 hectares, including 34 hectares dedicated to producing green mealies and vegetables under irrigation.

The Department of Agriculture has also supported the farm with irrigation infrastructure to improve production.

The project contributes to local economic development by providing permanent employment for 20 people and creating up to 40 seasonal job opportunities for local youth and women. 

Kontsiwe commended the farmers for working together to make productive use of communal land, particularly in an area where land rights disputes are common.

“I am happy to see people working the land and not leaving it lying fallow. As a community, they are making sure that the land is being used, especially here in Port St Johns,” Kontsiwe said.

The MEC also welcomed the intergenerational nature of the farming initiative, noting that agricultural knowledge and practices have been passed down from the farmers’ forefathers to the current generation.

She also commended the farmers for partnering with government to create jobs, stimulate economic development and strengthen food security in the province.

As part of her programme in the OR Tambo District, Kontsiwe also visited Swazini in Qhaka village, Ward 9, where she officially handed over a Fresh Produce Rural Market Centre aimed at improving market access for local farmers and supporting sustainable agricultural growth.

The day concluded at the OR Tambo Agricultural Show at the Port St Johns Sports Field, where farmers showcased their produce and livestock.

Kontsiwe said the show’s competitions encourage farmers to improve the quality of their produce and livestock by providing feedback on their performance.

“They are told why and how they won. That assists those who did not win to rectify their mistakes,” she said, adding that she is encouraged by the participation and achievements of young farmers.

The MEC reaffirmed the department's support to focus on helping emerging farmers in building sustainable and profitable agricultural enterprises that contribute to food security, employment and local economic growth. – SAnews.gov.za

 

Source: Original report at SAnews.gov.za.