The National Ports Authority of South Africa has come forward as a major corporate sponsor for a unique job creation project initiated by the University of Fort Hare’s Science and Agriculture Faculty.

National Ports Authority is excited to be part of the local community in the Alice area to join the project that is being strongly supported by both the Eastern Cape Department of Agriculture and the University of Fort Hare (UFH).

As the brainchild of the staff at the UFH Agri Park, the project signals a new approach to empowerment in an initiative that aims to create long-term jobs in the agricultural industry.

A number of corporates have already responded strongly to an invitation to buy 40 000 dehydrated vegetable and soup packs for a nominal R1 or R2 a pack. The packs are produced by the UFH Agri Park which sources the contents from local small-scale farmers who buy the seedlings from a local start-up nursery.

While receiving operational and infrastructural support from UFH, the three interlinked components of the Agri Park are run as separate co-operatives, thus giving full control of production and resources directly to the community.

In the true spirit of Ubuntu, the project will create a ripple effect that spreads far wider than the conventional empowerment scheme where the benefits reach only those directly involved.

Money raised from the sale of the 40 000 packs will go back to the community who have given their time and effort free of charge for six months to get the project up and running.

Terry Taylor, Corporate Affairs Manager for the Port of East London, says the R250 000 donated by the NPA will be reviewed annually over the next three years with the possibility of further payments should the project show the required success rate.

“We are proud to be supporting an innovative empowerment project with such wide benefits for the broader community,” said Port Manager Jacqueline Brown . “The NPA is also delighted to be linking up with the Provincial Government and the University of Fort Hare in this positive venture.”

Brown explained that National Ports Authority’s hinterland spread far wider than the Buffalo City Area. “Broadening our stakeholder relationships in such a positive way will bring us much closer to communities around Alice.”

She added that the NPA’s Corporate Social Investment policy included the linking of education and job creation to create long-term sustainability.

“Like the other sponsors of this worthwhile project, we believe it is bankable and will grow our relationship with the wider community.”