Shell Downstream South Africa partnered with Impala Bafokeng to support small-scale subsistence farmers in the Rustenburg area as part of its dedication to powering lives.

On 26 August, Shell South Africa Lubricants and Lubricants Supply Chain (LSC) general manager, Nazareth Tekeste, presented agricultural starter packs to 26 graduates who completed Impala Bafokeng’s Portable Skills and Crop Farming programme. The starter packs include essentials to empower these graduates to create their own vegetable gardens in their backyards. The aim is that they produce enough vegetables to feed their families, with enough left to sell for an income and ultimately contribute to community upliftment by creating jobs.

Tekeste said the project fits perfectly with Shell’s Shell Supporting the Farm of the Future campaign, which introduces farmers to the latest and most innovative agricultural practices. “We want to equip them with the knowledge and tools they need to prepare for the future of farming by introducing them to cutting-edge technologies and sustainable practices that will increase efficiency, reduce costs, and optimise crop yields. The future is about using the latest technology and science and leveraging history”.

“At Shell, we want to positively impact people around the world by providing access to the vital energy people need, championing inclusion, respecting human rights and contributing to local communities,” said Tekeste.

Dr Kenalemang Kgoroeadira, known as Mama Kena by community members, facilitates and moderates the AgriSETA registered Portable Skills and Crop Farming programme. She holds a PhD in indigenous knowledge systems and strives to rebuild communities using traditional African knowledge. Her award-winning farm, Thojane Organic Farming, has a proven track record of providing agricultural skills.

Mama Kena said the programme equips graduates with the following skills.

  • A sound theoretical knowledge base in agricultural technology
  • Competency-based practical skills
  • Farm business management skills
  • Appropriate life skills and
  • Effective follow-up and support services skills.

Since 2021, Mama Kena trained three groups of students in the Macharora area, including RBA Capital Region, Phokeng. She said she helped them register Rerabetswe Cooperation, which has five active members who supply fruit and vegetables to the local Food Lover’s Market, spaza shops and the mine’s kitchen,” she said.

Martin Pieters, Head of Sustainable Development Head at Impala Bafokeng, said four greenhouses located at the Impala Bafokeng HUB provide additional space for graduates to produce over and above what they grow in their backyards. “The idea is to support them in establishing viable businesses so they can break even and continue farming in the future.”

“Subsistence agriculture is one of the imperative segments in the South African economy, and it remains a substantial sector for livelihood generation, economic growth and reducing rural poverty. With the help of companies like Shell, we can celebrate today with these 26 graduates who can now start planting to provide their households with food, create employment within the community, and sell their produce,” said Pieters.

Source: JRPR Communications