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Johannesburg – Emerging grain farmers in the Eastern Cape could benefit from an empowerment project launched by the Black Business Council (BBC) in partnership with Ikhephu Agricultural Secondary Cooperative.
The BBC Grain Production Project to launched on August 15, is based in Elliot, Eastern Cape. The project aims to support emerging farmers, involving them in an integrated value chain model, so that they can become commercial farmers.
“One of the key challenges facing emerging farmers is their lack of collateral and security. It means they often cannot access production finance and hence cannot use their resource base to its fullest capability,” said BBC president Danisa Baloyi.
The project also includes the involvement of the BBC’s partners BHBW (a Barloworld and BayWa Company), Land Bank, Unigrain, Tongaat Hullet, Dupont, Kynoch and VBS Mutual Bank.
The project will help transform the agricultural sector by changing the participation of black players to be more involved in the value chain by being “value creators”. The project will also help upscale business competencies and improve market access for these farmers.
Baloyi said the project is expected to make a contribution to GDP, transform the sector, create sustainable skills transfer, create jobs and help ensure food security.
READ: Emerging farmers get boost from Land Bank - PnP partnership
Previously, the Land Bank announced a partnership with retailer Pick n Pay to develop small businesses in the agriculture sector.
Through Pick n Pay’s Enterprise and Supplier Development Programme, Land Bank will provide financial support to emerging farmers.
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