Eastern Cape shows its support for agriculture in the former Transkei

The Eastern Cape Provincial Government’s special purpose vehicle AsgiSA Eastern Cape (EC) is about to double its dry land cropping footprint in the former Transkei from 6,700 hectares to 12,000 hectares this planting season.

This follows a partnership between 11 local municipalities and AsgiSA EC which has committed over R100 million to the expansion of the project which covers OR Tambo, Chris Hani, Ukhahlamba, Amathole and Alfred Nzo districts. 

New sites include the Nyandeni, Ingquza Hill, King Sabata Dalindyebo, Engcobo, Intsikayethu, Elundini and Mbashe local municipalities. The expanded area should see the maize crop from AsgiSA EC projects rise to 42,000 tons, an increase of 59 per cent on this year’s production of close to 18,000 tons.

MEC for the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Mbulelo Sogoni says it is encouraging to see local municipalities providing funding towards the expansion. 

He refers to the R11 million which has been committed by the Alfred Nzo District and Mzimvubu local municipalities. 

“The funding from the municipalities, together with the R96 million committed by AsgiSA EC for this season’s dry land cropping programme, allows us to ramp up production on arid land. Last year, more than 2,500 households benefited from the 6,700 ha planting,” says Sogoni. 

Communities receive between 200kg and 500kg of maize for personal use.  The remaining portion is sold to producers such as Sasko and animal feed manufacturers. 

“Food security is a key priority of provincial government. It enables poor people to earn more, invest in themselves and their communities,” explains Sogoni.  

Maize is the staple food for the province’s rural communities and accounts for nearly 95% of the crops planted in AsgiSA EC’s dry land cropping programme. Other crops planted on a small scale are beans, soya beans and sunflowers. 

Sogoni says that maize farming on the Ongeluksnek farms in Matatiele has been the most successful with these farmers producing 6.5 tons per hectare, close to a 25 per cent improvement on the provincial average for small scale plantations outside the former Transkei.

Unsurprisingly, AsgiSA EC has increased plantings in this area three-fold from 900ha to 3,000ha. The Ongeluksnek’s yield is also greater than the yield at other AsgiSA EC maize sites such as Butterworth, Mt Frere and Qumbu.  

However, AsgiSA EC CEO Simpiwe Somdyala explains that the absence of storage facilities negatively impacted on the pricing and profitability of the first season. 

Somdyala says that silos are essential to the programme’s future sustainability and have committed R7 million for establishing silos.  A study, which is to determine the number and location of the silos, is due to be completed shortly.

Another element of sustainability which AsgiSA EC is tackling is building community-run commercial ventures within the agriculture value chain.

“We want to move away from government dependence and will provide support for community co-operatives so that this goal is achieved.” 

“That is why we are robustly evaluating value-add activities such as milling facilities through public, private partnerships as a means to create entrepreneurial opportunities.”

However, other challenges remain such as insufficient rain and inadequate fencing.

AsgiSA EC, which aimed to put 500,000 ha under dry-land planting over 25 years, is currently reviewing its original plans. With the 12,000ha planting, it expects to achieve 12% of its original 2014 dry-land cropping target which was set at 100,000ha.

“The review process is, therefore, essential to determine whether our targets can be achieved within the original timeframes,” he adds.

Somdyala is satisfied that the first rains have fallen, and that the planting season has officially started.