The Eastern Cape has often been referred to as the “sleeping giant” of South African agriculture, boasting the country’s largest livestock population and substantial contributions to horticulture and dairy production. Smallholder farmers have yet to benefit equally from the region’s rich agricultural resources, however. Limited access to credit and financial services hinders the purchase of quality seeds, fertilizers, and other agricultural inputs and services. Extension services often fall short in equipping farmers with the knowledge and skills required to adopt innovative practices. Compounding these challenges, farmers’ vulnerability to extreme weather events has increased.
Market Solution
In 2022, Tanager partnered with the John Deere Foundation to pilot a program that would transition smallholder maize farmers from subsistence farming to self-sufficient production. The results were transformative: On average, participating farmers achieved 65% higher yields per hectare and 63% greater gross income per hectare over comparable smallholder farmers in the region who had not participated in Imbewu activities.
Building on this success, Tanager and John Deere Foundation have launched the second phase of Imbewu. Derived from the Xhosa word for “seed,” Imbewu symbolizes growth and potential—values central to the program’s mission. Phase 2 will leverage digital extension, on-farm training through demonstration plots, improve access to finance and markets, and more to improve farmer productivity, minimize post-harvest losses, and enhance overall profitability.
Market Impact
- Support 6,576 farmers over the life of the project
- Increase farmer yields by 37%
- Increase average gross income for farmers by 68%
Resources
- Imbewu Phase 2 Fact Sheet (English, 8.5 x 11 inches)
- Imbewu Phase 2 Fact Sheet (English, A4)
- Imbewu Phase 2 Fact Sheet (French, A4)
