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AsgiSA EC maize project gives rural Transkei hope

AsgiSA Eastern Cape (EC) has expanded its dry-land cropping programme this season from 6,700 hectares (ha) to 12,000 ha. Government is encouraged with progress made by AsgiSA EC, particularly in ensuring food security to the people of the former Transkei.

The date is October 20, an uncomfortable hot and sweaty Tuesday afternoon. The location is Zingqayi village about 15km past Butterworth towards Dutywa.

A drive through the four Zingqayi villages Mambabaleni, Komkhulu, Magenuka and Luxhomo, betrays the eye of the unsuspecting motorist and passerby who mistakes this to be a normal day in an ordinary village.

The setting appears to be of a normal day in a rural village – rural women carrying logs on their heads some with babies on their backs; and the men hard at work in the fields. At the first stop, at Mambaleni a group of women are seated in a huddle sipping the popular amarhewu, a delicious non-alcoholic maize meal brew.

All-the-while, unfolding at these four villages is one of the few examples of rural communities taking ownership of rural development initiatives. About thirty men and women, at intervals, are hard at work fencing
114ha of dormant land earmarked for maize planting this season.

The women are carrying logs and dropping them at various points and the men are digging and erecting poles for the fence. Gum trees were used for the fencing and unused fencing was also collected. In some cases existing fencing was being repaired.

The 114ha is in addition to the 250ha planted in the past season as part of AsgiSA EC’s dry-land cropping programme in the area. This will bring the amount of maize planted in the area to 364ha this season. Last year AsgiSA EC planted 6,700ha of maize in the former Transkei and this is set to expand to 12,000ha this year. Planting on the 12,000ha, targeting 11 local municipalities in the former Transkei, is currently underway.

Zingqayi, together with communities in Mount Frere, Matatiele and Qumbu, collectively produced an average yield of 3.5 tons per ha from last season’s planting. Further east (in Matatiele), over 280km from Butterworth is Ongeluksnek, where the yields were more impressive at an average of 6 tons per ha and the community here are determined to perform just as well this season.

Community elder and a member of the Chithindlala Committee (which means to eradicate poverty) responsible for community participation in the AsgiSA EC maize project, Donald Kwanele Ntshwanti, explains that fencing is one of four criteria that communities must meet before they can participate in AsgiSA EC’s dry-land cropping programme.

“We realised that we could not wait for government to provide us with fencing before we can start planting again. We took ownership of the project to enable us to start planting early this season. We wanted to prevent planting delays and make a strong case for expansion this year.

“Fencing helps us to stop cattle from eating the maize and destroying it. The lack of fencing, late planting and theft were contributing factors to the poor yield last year,” says Donald.

The people of the former Transkei are no strangers to rural development programmes such as the failed Massive Food Programme (MFP). Programmes like AsgiSA EC’s agriculture programme are often met with deep suspicion and pessimism.

AsgiSA EC stakeholder relations and investment promotion executive manager Chuma Sangqu explains that in the MFP communities were expected to farm and government would provide the funding. “We believe communities should not wait for government. They must take ownership,” he says.

“When communities don’t take ownership, as soon as government withdraws funding, the programmes collapse. People in the former Transkei are poor and they lack skills and are heavily reliant on government funding to sustain themselves. There is almost always a mismatch between strategy and actual funding available for rural development initiatives to implement and achieve impact.

“Rural communities also lack infrastructure and logistics which is crucial for meaningful impact. Fencing is part of this infrastructure. These areas often have good land and climate, but without infrastructure they cannot be competitive,” explains Chuma.

Donald explains that they are beginning to have faith in the AsgiSA EC maize programme because their land produced a decent yield in the
last season. He is optimistic that all their land will be used in the upcoming season.

“We also hope that planting will be completed early because late planting jeopardises our chances of producing a good harvest. This also affects our share of the produce as a community,” says Donald.

The agreement between AsgiSA EC and communities is that each village will receive 10% of the yield from their plantations. This increases incrementally as the yield improves.

He says this community is also eager to assist Dutywa-based Amampondo Installations, the contractor commissioned by AsgiSA EC to plant lands in Butterworth for this season.

“Our people get jobs during planting. Being part of this process also gives us the assurance that everything is done together as a community.
Uncontrolled fires remain our biggest threat and we trust that AsgiSA EC will assist us with preventative measures so that our plantations are not destroyed. Fires destroyed some parts of the plantations last season,” says Donald.

Chuma adds that existing community structures such as the Chithindlala Committee makes working with villages more efficient. Rural development initiatives by their nature have a strong community bias and thus partnerships with local chiefs and councilors are key to proper relationships with communities.

“With the help of the Chithindlala Committee, the Zingqayi community is a positive example of how rural communities are taking ownership of our projects. The Zingqayi community has taken the maize project seriously and is meeting us half-way with issues like fencing where progress is slow,” Chuma says.

THE ZINGQAYI COMMUNITY

The Zingqayi community comprises four villages: Mambabaleni, Komkhulu, magenuka and luxhomo.

Their Chithindlala Committee, established in 2001, is chaired by Lubabalo Mbelani and has 25 members elected by the villagers.

Technical information such as soil potential, climate conditions and slope, together with adequate fencing and community readiness (existing community co-operatives/organised structures) are other criteria used in the selection process when choosing areas for the AsgiSA EC dry-land cropping programme.