The LIMA Agricultural and Community Development Project supports smallholder farmers in South Africa to grow and commercialise their businesses.
Building support services for small scale farmers
Originally founded to help South Africa’s disadvantaged smallholder farmers in rural areas, LIMA works to integrate the farmers into the agri-business value chain through connections to suppliers, credit provision, mechanisation, technical support and market access. The aim is to build capacity, and in turn improve livelihoods, food security, community health and nutrition across the region.
De Beers has recently helped to extend the programme into Musina and Blouberg in South Africa. An Agricultural Services Hub has been established there, with the aim of supporting potato and tomato farmers in particular. The hub offers land preparation and harvesting support, training and marketing services, alongside access to funding and equipment to help farmers with their expansion plans.
Supporting farmers to flourish
An example of LIMA in action can be found in Germark village, where Mosibudi Trading Enterprise is flourishing under the management of horticulturalist, Cynthia Mosibudi. At the start of the project the farm had 18 hectares of land available, but just 2.5 hectares under cultivation. LIMA has delivered wide-ranging support, from initial community and stakeholder research, to clearing multiple hectares of bush. The project has also supplied storage facilities, new fencing for 15 hectares, machinery and other equipment, training and business planning support.
The farm has been given a further boost by support from PotatoSA and the Department of Rural Development, and expanded production already. In light of the farm’s focus on sustainability and agricultural best practice, Cynthia Mosibudi has been appointed a board member of Blouberg Agri Services Hub.
“Getting involved in the De Beers’ enterprise development programme has been an eye-opener for the business,” says Cynthia. “They have helped me develop my business, management and marketing skills beyond what I could have dreamed of. This has given me the confidence to expand and compete more effectively in the marketplace.”
This is just one example of the ways in which LIMA is helping to increase food production and create local jobs, having a substantial impact on family income and food security.