Tourism operator Tourvest has handed over the Khomanani Agricultural Hub in Mpumalanga, an initiative aimed at connecting rural farmers near Kruger National Park with formal buyers in the tourism sector.
Source: Supplied
The hub will initially support 100 smallholder farmers from communities surrounding the park and Numbi Gate, including Huntington (Hunzukani), Marbarhule, Somerset, Belfast and Nkambeni, as well as neighbouring villages.
The initiative seeks to address barriers that have kept many small-scale producers out of formal markets, including limited production volumes, logistics constraints and difficulties securing reliable buyers. Tourvest has committed to purchasing fresh produce for its lodges, restaurants and retail operations, creating a potential market for participating farmers.
Connecting farmers to tourism buyers
By consolidating produce at one facility, the hub aims to help farmers meet commercial buyers’ requirements for quality, consistency and volume.
Tourvest has appointed agricultural development organisation U Can Grow to manage the facility and support participating farmers. The organisation has experience establishing and managing agricultural hubs across South Africa.
Nelisiwe Muxwane, representing the Department of Agriculture District Office, encouraged farmers to align their production with market demand.
“I encourage farmers to align their crop and vegetable production with market demand to ensure sustainable participation in formal markets. We commend Tourvest for its commitment to creating market access opportunities that support the growth and development of rural small-scale farmers,” she said.
The hub is also expected to create procurement opportunities with other operators in Kruger National Park through collaboration with South African National Parks (SanParks). Potential future markets include retail outlets, institutional procurement and government nutrition and school-feeding programmes.
Source: Supplied
Jobs and local supply chains
At full operational capacity, the initiative has the potential to create approximately 100 direct jobs on participating farms, between 10 and 20 permanent positions at the hub, and a further 200 indirect jobs through expanded farming activity and local value chains.
Tourvest Group chief executive Luvhengo Neswiswi said the project was intended to connect communities near major tourism destinations with the economic opportunities generated by the sector.
“This initiative is about creating pathways to prosperity. Government has invested in the infrastructure, and Tourvest is investing to unlock its full economic potential. Communities living alongside world-class tourism destinations should share meaningfully in the opportunities they create,” said Neswiswi.
“Through the Khomanani Agricultural Hub, we are not simply buying produce. We are opening doors for local farmers to become suppliers to the tourism economy, enabling them to build sustainable businesses, create jobs and strengthen local economies. This is what inclusive growth looks like when the public and private sectors work together to create lasting impact.”
SanParks will support the hub through its Enterprise and Supplier Development (ESD) programme, with a focus on strengthening the facility and building farmers’ capacity.
SanParks senior manager for Enterprise and Supplier Development, Dr Paul Mpye, said: “Conservation and community development must go hand-in-hand. By connecting local farmers to formal markets, the Agricultural Hub can create tangible economic opportunities for neighbouring communities and strengthen local supply chains.
"SanParks will further support the Hub through its ESD programme to strengthen the hub, farmer capacity and promote sustainable business growth. It can help ensure the benefits of tourism extend beyond park boundaries, contributing to sustainable livelihoods, job creation and enterprise development around Kruger National Park.”
The traditional councils of Jongilanga, Hoxane and Mhaule also welcomed the initiative and the opportunities it could create for local farmers.
The hub brings together government, Tourvest, SanParks and U Can Grow in an effort to strengthen the links between agricultural production and tourism procurement in communities surrounding Kruger National Park.
