Partner(s):
The South African Institute for Entrepreneurship aims to partner with previous Coronation Fund Managers projects: Abalimi Bezekhaya, Ecolink, Siyakhana, Siyazisiza Trust, Trac and Umthathi. This project aims to provide continued support to farmers in these areas. The projects are:
Abalimi Bezekhaya (Abalimi is translated to ‘planters’ in Xhosa) is an urban agriculture and environmental non profit body that operates in the disadvantaged societies of Khayelitsha, Nyanga and regions surrounding the Cape Flats. Abalimi assists individuals, groups and community based organizations to kick off and maintain organic food growing and conservation projects. Abalimi also encourages the planting of water wise plants in schools and streets. This helps with job creation, poverty alleviation, self help and sustainability. For more information on Abalimi Bezekhaya, please visit their website http://www.abalimi.org.za Ecolink is a non profit public benefit organization situated in Whiteriver, Mpumalanga that works in response to the needs of vulnerable societies confronted with problems like HIV/AIDS, food security, erosion of social fabric through crime, poor health, joblessness and isolation due to their remote dwellings. Ecolink’s intervention consists of capacity building through community driven development activities that are underpinned by a firm foundation of environmental awareness and education. This entails skills training in trench gardening and permaculture; thus supporting development, growth and sustainability. More information on Ecolink is available on their website http://www.ecolink.co.za The Siyakhana Permaculture Food Garden was established as an urban agriculture programme in Johannesburg’s inner city, to address the needs of food insecure children, and people living with AIDS. This Programme is core to the larger envisaged Food Gardens Initiative, the objective being to establish this Garden as the hub programme with outlying “spoke” projects. The vision of the Food Gardens Initiative is, therefore, to facilitate the nurture and development of a sustainable and productive environment necessary for the improvement of the health, social and economic status of South African inner city communities, through the establishment of replicable, model urban, permaculture food garden systems for food production, education, research, and empowerment communities (particularly women and youth) through training, employment, and income-generating opportunities. For more information please visit http://www.siyakhana.org Siyazisiza Trust operates mainly in Ulundi, KwaZulu Natal where they are situated, but also partly in Mpumalanga. Siyazisiza Trust approaches poverty relief providing technical assistance (skills training) and sustainable job creation to underprivileged communities, especially women. Siyazisiza’s agriculture projects serve the dual function of helping communities with food security and nutrition and the generation of income from the sale of the surplus produce. The successor to the Transvaal Rural Action Committee, The Rural Action Committee (TRAC) provides assistance to emerging faming communities of rural Mpumalanga Province. In its capacity as a land rights and rural development NGO, TRAC partners with state, civil society and community based organizations to help underprivileged communities with sustainable livelihoods. TRAC intervention assists these rural communities to live within the means of available land and natural resources. More information on TRAC is available on their website http:www.trac.org.za Umthathi is a community development non profit organization based in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape. As training and development agency, Umthathi seeks to build skills (and vocational training) for urban and peri-urban communities in the Eastern Cape with the broader objective of eradicating household poverty and promoting health. This is achieved through increasing access to food, making sustainable use of existing resources and inducing self sufficiency. Umthathi’s approach to poverty, unemployment and inequality is designed to be environmentally friendly. More information on the activities of Umthathi is available on their website http:www.umthathi.co.za
Our Involvement:
Communities that are served by Abalimi Bezekhaya, Ecolink, Siyakhana, Siyazisiza Trust, Trac and Umthathi receive SAIE’s AgriPlanner training to equip them with the technical expertise necessary for them to operate their micro agribusinesses professionally. Ten recipients of AgriPlanner training diffuse their knowledge to the broader communities through subsequent training and mentoring. The user friendly AgriPlanner material is ideal for use in communities that suffer deficiencies in literacy levels.
Project Progress:
The training is scheduled for October 2010 to November 2010 and the expected outcomes of this product includes:
a) Farmers will have the skill to plan their farm operations more effectively
b) Farmers will have a clear understanding of the distinction between business income and personal income.
c) Farmers will have the skill to allocate income on the basis of business, personal expenses and savings.
d) Farmers will have skill to record their Agri-business transactions.
e) Farmers will improve their application and understanding of financial management procedures.
f) Farmers will have the understanding of the economic value and potential of their enterprise
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