Melmoth Project

SAFDA pioneers novel restitution models in Melmoth

The South African Farmers Development Association (SAFDA) entered into a Service Level Agreement (SLA) with the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform to provide various services to freehold farmers, small scale farmers and land reform beneficiaries. SAFDA has also entered into Co-Management Agreements with four communities in Melmoth. As part of the Co-Management Agreement, SAFDA is co-managing the farming operations and committed to providing governance support to all four projects. Melmoth has about 6800 hectares which consists of sugar cane, timber and avocados that are exported to various international destinations. The Commission on Restitution of Land Rights has restored land to five claimant communities in the Melmoth area, these properties were awarded through a Court Order in 2019 and transfers of properties took place from March 2020 onwards. Four out of five of these communities have chosen to work with SAFDA as their strategic partner for the next 5-10 years through a co-management arrangement, those communities are Entembeni with 1 801 h/a, Emakhasaneni with 1 250 h/a, Entembeni Royal House with 1 433 h/a and Isizwe Sakwa-Dludla community trust with 1 122. h/a. Over and above the co-management agreement that SAFDA has with these communities, we have made available working capital, machinery and equipment so that they can be able to continue working and producing. The establishment of the Farm Management Services Company as an arm of the organization that will turn around farming operations for struggling farmers ensuring that they have good quality crop which will attract the good price.