Lead Macadamia Farmer’s project

Vhembe District Municipality

Second annual platform meeting - 30 August 2016: ‘Facilitating innovation for avocado and macadamia farmers:

What role for change makers?’

A Verschoor

Background

• Economic transformation opportunities in Vhembe -high value fruit

is agro-ecologically well suited and policy (NDP) aligned

• Market access & value chain efficiency - key to success

• Subtrop targets 2000 ha of commercial smallholder production

• 3 tons/ha

• This target is feasible and stimulating collective innovation by

facilitating Value Chain Collaboration, will support this

What is the Lead farmer project about?

• Subtrop transformation project – focus on entrepreneurship, leadership

development

• 7 farmers selected in Feb 2016, by the Extension Office (Dept), researcher

(Yves) & farmer reps

• Selection criteria included: gender; age; commercial orientation;

commitment; potential; study group participation & investment

• To support enterprise development, financial management and marketing

• Stimulating farmer-to-farmer learning, strengthening M&E

• Year 2, 3; Capacitating farmers, Extension & developing manuals

Name Village Municipality

Khathutshelo Matika Phiphidi, Thulamela

Susan Rafele Mukula Thulamela

Lugoyi Mashovha Mashau Makhado

Elias Chavhalala Elim Makhado

Joshua Mikaswi Tshixwadza Mutale

Arinah Vele Mukondeni Mutale

Israel Negondeni Mabila Mutale

Lead farmer profile

• Born in the village or residing there for more than 29 years

• Practice irrigation –some innovative –2 planning high tech systems

• Sell at formal markets, sales vary from a few crates to 20 tons.

• Have 5ha+, hire labour, invest substantially and farm fulltime.

• Have Macadamia, also avo, litchi, mango, vegetables, 5 keep bees

• Have additional income; business, pensions, remittances, social grants

• Receive government support, including services from extension

Profile (2)

• Higher production level than average smallholder fruit farmer

• Majority do not utilise all land –all intent to utilise all vacant land

• Data on key input/output indicators not recorded properly - priority

• All struggle with access to capital, water and equipment, fire, theft,

transport logistics, pests and disease

• Focus on financial management and development of production

plans could constitute interventions with a high possible impact

Goal 1: Stimulating production

• Gap between commercial / leader farmers, despite public/private support

• Data collection (May-August 2016) established:

1.Invest less & have inferior access to resources than commercial growers

2.Difficulty in dealing with pests, theft & fire in village environment

3.Priority learning needs - financial management, marketing

4.Infrastructure constraints (roads, irrigation, marketing) limits viability

Tailor made production plans envisaged in yr 1 to address gaps, plan venture

& apply for funding / support

Goal 2: Farmer to farmer learning

• Production plans to be developed for individual farmer (not one

size fits all)

• Values: fostering farmer autonomy, self-worth and self-reliance

• Institutional support is available but a lot of information and access

to resources is not easily found

• Seven farmers can act as change agents: inspire, lead from the

front and help each other

Goal 3 Strengthen M&E, capacitate Extension

• Develop key indicators; to be developed with extension officers

• Monitor the ley indicators over time

• Goal: empower extension officers, help develop a learning

organisation

Way forward

• Production plans

• Capacity building

• Monitoring investment, production

• Request/invite Government to support initiative as part of existing

programmes

• VCC approach to address constraints described -focused capacity

development & farmer-to-farmer mentoring