Mazabekweni Farmer's Day

COVID-19 has brought home the value and importance of being able to produce one’s own food but this was emphasized even more with the recent spate of unrest and looting that took place across our province and jeopardized access to food for many people.

On account of the success that the Strachan’s continue to achieve through their food security project, a field trip was arranged to expose members of other rural communities in the district to the home gardening practices being employed. The Hauffs and Stapylton-Smiths invited representatives from communities in the vicinity of their farms in the Eastwolds/Mackenzie area while representatives from the Mphithini Co-operative also attended. What was striking driving into the Mazabekweni community near Highflats was the sheer number of households involved in cultivation. This is the community in which Dougie Strachan launched his food security project in 2009 and it is very encouraging to see how it has grown over time, with an ever-increasing number of households now growing their own food.

Mazabekweni project participants demonstrated the use of the hammermill which has proven so lucrative for them and this was particularly helpful for the Mphithini visitors who have recently acquired the same machine and begun milling their own maize for sale to their local communities.

Local commercial farmer, Stembiso Khumalo and his family have been farming vegetables in the area for 20 years or so and walked the farmer’s day participants through the different crops they are growing and the methods being used to achieve success. They grow cabbages, peppers, butternut, tomatoes and lettuce on about 10 Ha of land with produce being sold to retailers in Kokstad and Ixopo. Stembiso Khumalo is certainly one of the role-models in his community on account of what he and his family have accomplished despite very little outside assistance, showing just what can be achieved with a bit of drive, passion and determination.