Abalimi Phambili: quick guide

What we do

The objective of this agricultural and economic development facilitation project is to strengthen agricultural production and food security in three districts in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal - Umzimkhulu, Qumbu and Mqanduli. This is part of an expansion of LIMA Rural Development Foundation's successful Abalimi Phambili farmer support programme, which it implements in conjunction with Teba Development. Started in 2001, the agricultural development and farmer support programme is being implemented in the districts of Umzimkhulu, Mbizana/Flagstaff, Lusikisiki, Qumbu, Umzimvubu, Mt Frere, Port St Johns and Tabankulu. With this part of the Abalimi Phambili project, LIMA aims, over 18 months, to improve the turnover and yields of 1,500 emerging farmers in the area by R10-million through the provision of farmer support services and business linkages to agri-business service providers.

An agricultural development facilitator has been deployed to each of the three districts, while locally recruited field assistants and master farmers assist in providing support services to the targeted emerging farmers. The facilitators have established working relations with farmers in various wards in these districts, and visit these stations on a regular basis. On the business linkages side, a revolving credit fund has been established to offer small loans for infrastructure and production credit, and an infrastructure fund will be used to create irrigation, small stock and other community-based assets.

Why this intervention

Small-scale farmers in the rural areas of the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal are isolated from input and produce markets as well as production information, contractors and credit facilities. Our farmer support services aim to link farmers into well-developed markets, thus improving productivity and reducing transaction costs - and ultimately creating direct relationships between farmers, markets and service providers. This project has been identified as ideally positioned to increase economic opportunities for previously disadvantaged communities and individuals through the use of existing resources and assets - water and land rights, homestead garden sites, poultry, sheep, cattle, pigs etc. It contributes to household food security and nutritional status, while building on existing skills and introducing new skills of participants through farmer-to-farmer learning and mentoring.

What we achieve

Our interventions on a practical level include:

• Correct crop selection
• Broiler production management, poultry sales and marketing
• Inputs to increase yields, better varieties, fertiliser and crop protection
• Access to credit, which is a limiting factor in instituting new ventures or upgrading existing production
• Support and advice to livestock farmers on herd health and marketing
• Improved market access, both on local markets and for off-take of surplus produce once yields and volumes increase
• Improved water supply for agriculture General extension advice.

How is this sustainable

The ultimate aim of this project is to provide good - and sustainable - livelihood opportunities in extremely poor communities.
Through the agricultural support process, this project assists in developing small businesses that can provide linkages between participants and commercial suppliers of goods and services. In this way, we avoid creating dependence on large-scale inputs, especially of a capital-intensive or managerially complex nature, while ensuring that bottlenecks caused by the absence of critical infrastructure are overcome. Importantly, the project fosters a culture of independence among participants by strengthening local institutions and setting up business systems which enable easy payment for inputs used directly by the participants, such as seeds and veterinary products.
In addition, projects for implementation are identified and prioritised with the community, which include setting up appropriate institutions, drawing up business plans and submitting these for funding, project implementation and training on project management and maintenance. This kind of community buy-in ensures the viability of projects beyond their ‘implementation period'. Programmes also receive a combination of grant and loan funding, which has proved the most successful model ensuring beneficiary accountability and economic viability.
Finally, partnerships are developed and nurtured with local and provincial government to ensure collaborative project support.

Who we work with

LIMA Rural Development Foundation

Lima provides an integrated rural development service to rural communities, through the establishment of appropriate institutions, local economic development and training to empower rural people - particularly women - in their own development efforts to overcome poverty.