The programme was launched at the Ngxakaxha village under the Mbhashe Local Municipality, an area that once faced high poverty levels.
Wednesday’s launch coincided with World Food Day, held under the theme: "Right to Food for a Better Life and a Better Future”, which underscores the fundamental human right to access adequate food.
Through the programme, 22,564 hectares will be planted, benefiting 10,953 communal and emerging farmers.
DRDAR Chief Director for Agricultural Producer Support and Development, Nandi Ndudane, said a sum of R21.6m has been allocated for the Import Substitute Project, targeting local smallholder poultry producers.
Emphasising the programme's potential for sustainable impact, Ndudane highlighted that between 2009 and 2023, the department planted 309,930 hectares, benefiting 51,847 smallholder producers and yielding over 538,000 tons of maize.
"We are here to say we are ready to plant summer crops, and we urge people to start planting so that we can fight poverty in the Eastern Cape. We have invested a lot in youth and female farmers. We are working with private partners and other departments and entities hence we hope this will bring about change,” Ndudane said.
Mawande Jama, who is a beneficiary of the programme and part of a project producing sorghum attested to the programme’s transformative impact.
"This project has assisted us greatly. We planted sorghum, and the support created job opportunities from soil preparation to harvesting and even employed rangers," Jama said.
Social Development Minister Sisisi Tolashe lauded the programme as a crucial step in implementing government strategies to fight food insecurity and malnutrition.
The Minister emphasised that empowering people with skills to produce their own food reduces dependence on social grants.
“We should replicate the lessons learnt from this programme and implement it nationally. It is through programmes like these that government can be able to fight malnutrition and food insecurity as reported by Statistics South Africa.
“We want people to be empowered with skills to produce their own food instead of being dependent on social grants hence we applaud the department for these initiatives. As government we need to ensure we turn things around and ensure food is produced hence we are here today," Tolashe explained.
Member of the Portfolio Committee on DRDAR, Nozibele Nyalambisa also hailed the initiative, saying the programme will make great strides in fighting rampant poverty in the province.
“By empowering people to produce their own food, we are fostering self-sufficiency and reducing reliance on social grants. The collaboration between farmers and extension officers will yield tangible results, and we are grateful for this intervention,” Nyalambisa said.
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