Boosting household food production in Qumbu

VISION

TEBA Development's agricultural programme enables emerging farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs in rural areas to increase their income, thereby alleviating poverty and improving food security, as well as livelihoods. In the Eastern Cape, TEBA Development aims to strengthen existing farming practices and increase access to water and other essential resources. 300 households in Qumbu will benefit from increased food security and income-generation potential. Food gardens have multiple effects: food production, reduced household food costs, higher levels of family nutrition, enhanced self-worth and personal confidence, and opportunities to turn surpluses into income.

OVERVIEW

Qumbu is an extremely poor area, north-east of Mthatha, in the Eastern Cape province. Sustainable development is hampered by the low capacity of local government and community-based organisations. TEBA Development aims to implement a food gardening project that will involve 300 homesteads in three villages of Qumbu. 100 vulnerable women in each village will be identified as the beneficiaries of a 12-month training and support programme. TEBA Development's strategies include consulting and working with local government to increase its capacity to support community development projects. The Department of Water Affairs has pledged to fund 66 rainwater-harvesting reservoirs to increase the sustainability of the project.

WHAT WE LIKE ABOUT THIS PROJECT

• The project increases the capacity of poor rural women who are dependent on agriculture for survival, by providing them with training and support for sustainable food gardening.
• This is an important entry-level intervention that helps to counteract the immediate hunger and malnutrition debilitating families, while establishing the degree of community mobilisation and empowerment that is necessary for the implementation of further, more comprehensive food security strategies.
• This project is vital to mobilise Qumbu community members and provide them with basic resources and important know-how that builds their self-reliance.
• These food-insecure households will benefit from improved nutrition and health.
• The project will increase the beneficiaries' confidence in their abilities to participate in and develop agriculture in the villages.

EXPECTED LIFE CHANGE

An investment of R236 450 enables TEBA Development to train and support 300 vulnerable women in three Qumbu villages in the development of household food gardens. This includes improving access to water and micro-irrigation systems.

• 300 participants will be trained in organic farming and supported for 12 months in sustainable food gardening practices.
• 2 400 people in these food-insecure households will benefit from the addition of fresh vegetables to their diets. Additional household income may be generated by the sale of surplus produce.
• Direct life change at a cost of R98.52 per life.

This project has breadth, depth, intensity and permanence in that it has the potential to impact positively on the economic, social, psychological, physical and vocational aspects of the beneficiaries' lives.

NEED

The town of Qumbu and its surrounding villages have a population of approximately 98 000. Only 6% of people reside in town – 94% live in scattered villages. There is both a lack of infrastructure and a lack of capacity to support development initiatives. Remoteness from commercial centres results in high unemployment, enduring poverty and a majority of food-insecure households. Insufficient food causes vulnerability to sickness and poor health all round – maternal health is endangered, children suffer from stunting and the productivity of adults is lowered.

There is high dependence on agriculture, but a lack of access to agricultural technologies, know-how and resources.

STRATEGY

TEBA Development has extensive experience in implementing food security projects in the Eastern Cape. They have established links with the Local Municipality of Mhlonto and negotiated with the Department of Water Affairs to fund 66 rainwater-harvesting reservoirs to improve the sustainability of the project. This project will fund the provision of training, support and resources over 12 months. TEBA Development will continue to work with the beneficiaries for another year, to ensure expansion and sustainability.

Community apacity building: 300 beneficiaries from low-income, food-insecure households will be engaged in this intensive 12-month project to build capacity in the Qumbu communities.

Provision of training and support: Over a 12-month period, a dedicated agricultural officer with organic farming qualifications will work with the beneficiaries to deliver training in sustainable land use and organic farming. Each household will receive a resource pack of vegetables seeds and fruit trees. They will be supported for 12 months, and previous experience has shown that this is sufficient time for the food gardens to become self-sustaining.

Improving access to water: The project includes the installation of rainwater-harvesting and micro-irrigation technologies at 10 households in each village, to provide a sustainable supply of water. In addition, the Department of Water Affairs has undertaken to fund the installation of 66 more water reservoirs at selected homesteads.

ACTION PLAN

Preparation

In consultation with the Mhlonto Municipality and community-based organisations, 100 women in the most vulnerable households of three selected Qumbu villages will be identified as the beneficiaries of the programme. They will participate in the formation of groups for training and agree on the implementation plan. TEBA Development will source and purchase 300 starter packs. Materials for the micro-irrigation systems will also be purchased.

Implementation

TEBA Development's agricultural officer, supported by a management team, will oversee the implementation and maintenance of food gardens at each homestead. Strategies to sell surplus produce and gain income from the gardens will be implemented as the gardens develop. Selected homesteads will receive micro-irrigation systems and water reservoirs.

Monitoring

The agricultural officer will conduct ongoing on-site monitoring, reporting to the management team, which is responsible for the project monitoring.

RISK PROFILE

Key Strengths

• Concept: The provision of environmentally-friendly food gardening training, improved access to water, resources and 12 months of dedicated support enables a food-insecure household to better meet its immediate nutritional needs, while creating future opportunities for income generation.
• Design: This project is consistent with TEBA Development's ongoing programme in the Eastern Cape.
• Capability: TEBA Development has significant depth in its leadership and a broad network of expertise upon which to draw.
• Control: TEBA Development is an established, registered non-profit organisation complying with national regulations and reporting requirements, with a high degree of board governance.
• Sustainability: The project is an entry-level intervention to build community capacity and confidence in the members' abilities to mobilise, organise, participate in development interventions and improve their lives. Food gardening in itself is very sustainable, although additional income-generation sources would be necessary to provide critical supplementary products for households.

Key Risks - Medium Low

• Concept: Food production programmes take time to yield sufficient food. In the case of food-insecure households, there is the risk that immediate and short-term needs for food become urgent before the project has time to produce enough food. In addition, while vegetable gardening makes a valuable contribution to household food security, other income-generation interventions will be required for the households to become independent and sustainable. There is a risk of people reducing their level of engagement with the programme to pursue immediate financial returns through other forms of employment.
• Design: This project is within the scale and scope of past projects. Income-generation and market access strategies have yet to be defined clearly.
• Capability: The organisation has implemented its programmes successfully in various communities around South Africa, but capacity will still need to be built among the local leadership of this particular community, to ensure the successful implementation of the project.
• Control: This project is a new initiative in this community and reporting frameworks, as well as community governance processes, will need to be put in place at commencement. TEBA has sufficient experience in community development work to ensure these systems are implemented.
• Sustainability: Immediate need for food can compromise the viability of these households developing their small food production businesses. The lasting impact is dependent on community members' motivation and capacity to maintain their gardens. The sustainability is also affected by whether there will be further, diverse opportunities for them to expand their household food production beyond subsistence.
• External: Agricultural projects have inherent risks of failure due to disease, pests and weather, and the Qumbu project is vulnerable to these factors. Dissent among the participants and within the local municipality may compromise the success of the project. This risk is mitigated by the presence of existing relationships and an agreement to co-operate.