The Mphithini Co-operative based near Donnybrook, is an enthusiastic group of farmers with whom we have been working since November 2019.

We are ecstatic to announce that we have been awarded section 18A tax income exemption which means that from this point onward, all donations made to our organisation are fully tax deductible!

Following the appearance of our article in local news about the efforts of the commercial farmers in our district to get food to the vulnerable during lockdown, we were invited to be interviewed by Joanne Joseph on Radio 702’s afternoon drive earlier this week.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought enormous challenges for people across our country and the world over, but even more so for the unemployed who, under lockdown, have been unable to undertake the piecemeal jobs they require in order to put food on their tables and the elderly and frail who take great risk venturing out of their homes to collect their social grants in order to purchase food.

Mr Gehla Mngoma and his family continue to produce a brilliant crop of cabbages, potatoes and tomatoes but since the loan period ended for the demo tractors that Mascor provided, a replacement has been greatly needed.

Subsequent to a proposal put together by Mr Stapylton-Smith in consultation with Mr Ngcobo, the Agri-business Development Agency have funded a new 20-point swing-over dairy at Summerhill Farm which has been operational since the beginning of March.

HGA has sought to arrange extra learning opportunities for the students involved in their in-service training programme and in February hosted an orientation event where guest speakers, Dr Tod Collins and Mr Walter Blore were invited to share their wisdom and experience from their respective professions in the agricultural sector.

The Strachan’s food security project continues to expand and now involves two sites in the Umzimkhulu area, namely, Waschbank and Highlands. HGA, through Standard Bank funding, was able to provide with the basic tools to households who have recently joined the project in order for them to begin cultivation of their home gardens.

The Reynolds family from Olivar Farm between Ixopo and Umzimkhulu are on a mission to improve the lives of those around them through education and skills transfer. In June 2016, after undertaking the required training, Sarah Reynolds began teaching English to their staff and their families through the Gateway into Reading programme.