Episode 6 of 22

Adopting Success: Zamukele

In this episode of ‘We’ve bean around the block’, host Antony Jarvie discusses the Zamukele project with Success Mdluli of the Schoeman Group. Zamukele is a Zulu word that means ‘adopt’, and it is a platform that the Schoeman Group have developed to adopt small-scale farmers into their canning bean enterprise. After an initial screening process, successful applicants to the scheme are assisted with agronomic support, seed and fertilizer inputs to begin their small white canning bean production. Once the harvested crop is delivered back to the Schoeman Group, the costs of the inputs are paid off and the profit is returned to the farmer. It is in essence a private sector initiative to assist small-scale farmers to access finance for their production. Without land ownership, small-scale farmers have no access to the formal banking sector for production loans. This remains a hurdle that the government has been unable to address adequately. Agribusinesses wishing to support the Schoeman Group by carrying some of the risk related to inputs in this project, can get in contact with Success Mdluli via email (success@witklip.co.za) for details.