The Motsepe Foundation and Agri SA, through its subsidiary Agri Enterprises, have identified access to capital as a key constraint facing projects with real potential to support and advance emerging farmers, and have partnered together to find concrete solutions. Due in large measure to a lack of secure land tenure, a number of promising projects around the country have been unable to secure adequate funding for their operations.
Agri Enterprises and the Motsepe Foundation have stepped into this gap, demonstrating the ability and the will of the agricultural sector to help realise the objectives of democratic South Africa.
Due to legal and tax requirements and because of the commercial nature of these projects, the Motsepe Foundation facilitated approximately R70m of funding for the first two projects through a company established by the Motsepe Family.
The first two projects of this initiative will create and maintain 1,541 jobs (seasonal and permanent) – and will impact 5,705 livelihoods.
Also critical for the success of the initiative has been securing the buy-in of communities, and of their leaders.