Programme tips balance in favour of new farmers

MALALANE – Timbali has developed a way to connect low-skilled, young, inexperienced, unemployed rural people to sophisticated markets by means of the incubation product supply chain and enabling environment created in the agri-parks.

Timbali’s reliable prototype system-driven cluster model tips the balance in favour of the start-up SMME to increase economy of scale and by using a system-dependent business format that enables the small agri-business to deliver a quality product. This enables the small business to consistently deliver a predictable, high-quality product resulting in significant economic benefits. Global statistics show that start-up businesses have a high failure rate. Timbali provides support services needed to create this enabling environment. This provides them with the opportunity to grow into independent, competitive businesses. It is achieved through training, mentorship, technology packaging, financing facilitation and marketing. The incubator greatly improves the chances of survival of start-up businesses during the first three years, when they are most vulnerable. A graduation ceremony was hosted at Komatipoort on the Helena Farm on September 4. Twenty-seven trainee farmers graduated and after completing the basic agri-business development incubation programme which included land preparation, basic vegetable-production techniques, financial analysis of their own business figures, market-supply procedures and quality management through data-driven decisions. The trainee farmers conducted a peer review and nominated Ms Nonhlanhla Xolisile Mashaba as the best trainee farmer overall.