Through the Ackerman Pick n Pay Foundation, the retailer made the commitment to the dti in March 2012 to provide dedicated shelf space in 50 stores for organic produce to assist in the further development of the organic produce sector and emerging farmers around the country.
Nkomamonta Organic Farmers Co-operative was formed in November 2005 and consists of 16 member farmers, established to market their product, which is primarily organic vegetables. The cooperative is currently registered as a primary cooperative and will register as a secondary cooperative once all entities are formalised.
"Through the support of the Foundation, the project has a developed niche advantage in the market by positioning itself as a supplier of organic produce," said Suzanne Ackerman-Berman, transformation director at Pick n Pay. "Consumers are becoming increasingly more health and environmentally conscious and, through this project, we aim to increase the availability of organic produce. The Nkomamonta farmers have risen to the challenge and we believe they are set to become a key role-player in this market."
For many years the Foundation's mission has been to support emerging farmers and small suppliers around the country, not only though providing much-needed market access, but also through mentorship and training programmes as well as assistance with the acquisition of equipment, livestock and agricultural input requirements.
"This partnership feeds directly into Pick n Pay's produce strategy, with our buying teams working closely with the Foundation and other supporting bodies such as the dti, IDC and NEF to develop and grow emerging farmers. The partnership speaks to the fact that our vision, which is to develop these small and emerging famers into sustainable businesses, is becoming a more central part of our supply chain and we will continue to increase our support of and partnerships with small farmers as part of an inclusive business value chain," concludes Ackerman-Berman.
