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In the rural village of Ntlakhwe, Bizana, a remarkable journey of growth is unfolding.

AMAMBANJWA Agric Co-operative began with just one hectare and a dream rooted in determination.

With support from ECRDA’s Structured Finance Programme, that dream has taken shape and continues to expand.

Today, they cultivate 12 hectares, and their story is still growing, with new goals and greater possibilities ahead.

Their journey reminds every Eastern Cape farmer: start small, keep rising, and grow boldly with the right support

Eastern Cape Rural Development Agency – ECRDA

19 December 2025

This week, the Eastern Cape Rural Development Agency (ECRDA) led an oversight and engagement visit with the Eastern Cape Provincial Treasury to key priority rural development projects across the province.

The visit aimed to provide Provincial Treasury with first-hand exposure to the operational realities, challenges, and opportunities within ECRDA’s strategic rural development assets, while strengthening understanding of the financial requirements needed to effectively deliver on ECRDA’s developmental mandate.

ECRDA took Provincial Treasury to the Mqanduli RED Hub, Magwa Tea Estate, and the Mbizana RED Hub, where the delegation engaged directly with co-operative leadership and operational partners on governance, infrastructure, and production-related challenges affecting project performance.

A proud ECRDA beneficiary, Nokuthula farms yellow maize and soya beans. But beyond the fields, she is cultivating resilience, hope, and opportunity for her community.

Her story reminds us that women in agriculture are not just feeding families, they are transforming rural economies and shaping the future.

ECRDA is proud to stand beside Nokuthula and all women of strength who are turning the soil into a legacy.

Thank you very much, Sisi Nokuthula, for making ECRDA realise its mandate of empowering rural communities, unlocking agricultural potential, and changing lives for the better.

Video link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TSF_YNGjPRImDXwBJE0v7gP7A0TZiNe4/view

We had the privilege of visiting Phumza Sifingo, Managing Director of Cingisitha Piggery, one of the beneficiaries of the ECRDA and sefa Blended Finance Scheme. This visit allowed us to witness firsthand the power of women’s empowerment in driving meaningful change in rural communities.

Cingisitha Piggery is a black woman-owned enterprise specialising in the production and processing of pork.

During our visit, Phumza received her first herd of 40 pigs, which she purchased following our recent engagement.

This marks a significant milestone in her agricultural journey and showcases her dedication to building a thriving agribusiness.

Our visit stands as a testament to the real impact of the ECRDA and sefa Blended Finance Scheme, a funding model that combines grant and loan support to enable sustainable agricultural development.

Through initiatives like these, we are investing in inclusive growth and strengthening the agricultural economy of the Eastern Cape.

Video Link: https://share.icloud.com/photos/06aJHsHhBnILeP5Uo8ECAU9Hg

The Eastern Cape Rural Development Agency (ECRDA), in partnership with the Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency (SEDFA), recently participated in a Farmers Information Day hosted by Eyoluntu Projects Market Agency, led by Mr. Melinkqubo Ndabokutya, one of the successful beneficiaries under the ECRDA and SEDFA Blended Finance Programme.

Through this partnership, ECRDA and SEDFA have provided over R5.2 million worth of equipment and business support to Eyoluntu Projects Market Agency.

The contribution includes a brand-new truck, a 4×4 bakkie, opening trading stock capital, and business overhead support, all aimed at enhancing the agency’s operational efficiency, logistics, and overall market competitiveness.

The Kei Fresh Produce Market, where Eyoluntu operates, serves as a vital trading hub for local producers. It ensures equitable access for previously disadvantaged and small-scale farmers to trade their fresh produce, in line with national market access regulations.

This milestone marks a significant step toward transforming the agricultural landscape of the Eastern Cape. It empowers smallholder growers with a competitive platform to sell their produce, strengthens local agricultural value chains, and promotes inclusive rural economic growth.

Through this initiative, the Eyoluntu Projects Market Agency will create 35 direct jobs and stimulate further employment opportunities indirectly through smallholder producers who now have improved market certainty and trading capacity.

Video Link: https://share.icloud.com/photos/0c139Q85C6oHITz64SADLs1tw

UMusa Mandela – Umchebi weeGusha ozisa ithemba kulutsha!

Sidibene noMusa Mandela, omnye wabalimi abatsha abanomdla nesakhono; abaxhaswa yi-arhente yoPhuliso lwamaPhandle aseMpuma-Koloni ekuthiwa ngelasemzini yi-Eastern Cape Rural Development Agency (ECRDA).

UMusa ufumene uqeqesho olubanzi kule arhente kwicandelo layo lokufuya iigusha, waze wabolekwa nenkxaso-mali ethe yanceda kakhulu ekwakheni nasekomelezeni ishishini lakhe lemfuyo.

Inkqubela yakhe ibonisa ukuba xa ulutsha lunikwa amathuba, luyakwazi ukuphumelela kwicandelo lezolimo.

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