The BankSeta awarded BRC a one-year contract to support young small-scale farmers with enterprise development. The focus of the enterprise development was on technical mentoring in the production techniques, agricultural business operations and the training of the entities involved in business skills training. The main thrust of the intervention is to offer business management training and crop production in order to strengthen the entities and cooperatives’ ability to have profitable businesses and access to start capital. The second aspect of the project focuses on mentoring the business in the areas of production namely planting, land preparation, fertilizing and development of business plans including dealing with markets. The mentoring is always conducted through practical work in the fields, advice on weeding and planting. The third aspect pertained to the identification of the input(s) support and procurement of the inputs. The inputs were procured by BRC as per the needs of each entity.

Supported by the National Lotteries Commission (NLC) and the Open Society (OSF), this project established and supports (i)15 small scale farmers, (ii)10 communal gardens, (iii)50 household gardens, and improve production, generate income and boost their rural economy.

Part of this project is the revolving credit support program to farmers with whom we work. The model is such that (i)farmers are supported with inputs. (ii)are required to pay back a portion of the cost of the support with no interest after selling their crops, and (iii)the pool of funds that revolves amongst a new cohort of farmers to be supported.