A GRAAFF-REINET non-profit organisation, the Support Centre for Land Change (SCLC) has since its establishment embarked on numerous projects for the benefit of emerging farmers from previously disadvantaged communities.
SCLC was established in 1987 with the objective of resisting forced farm evictions and victimisation of farm labourers in the Lawaaikamp area in George.
The NPO, formerly known as the Southern Cape Centre for Land Change, later expanded their mandate to include providing assistance to emerging farmers by giving advice, provide seedling and assisting them in getting their farming businesses off the ground.
They spread to Beaufort West and Graaff- Reinet, where they currently have satellite offices. Since its arrival in the Mid-Karoo region, the centre has embarked on numerous projects in this regard, some of which include environmental justice, Operation Phakisa and community gardens.
One of the farmers, Romano Nel, who is a garlic farmer from the Nieu Bethesda area and has received institutional support from the centre, managed to implement his farming project and it is growing in leaps and bounds.
“The support I received from the centre was really worthwhile as I can now manage my farm and I have been taught other aspects of farming that I previously did not know about,” he said.
The centre’s main goal is to get more people from previously disadvantaged communities involved in farming, as they are not very involved at the moment.
According to SCLC fieldworker, Neville October, the centre’s aim is to assist these farmers to be able to run sustainable farming projects in their chosen areas” he said.
The centre plans to expand on their scope of work as they will be conducting research on various issues affecting farming communities, including alcohol usage among farm labourers and its impact on productivity.
The centre has also invited all parties interested in getting support or more information on the assistance offered to attend the monthly produce platforms where stakeholders meet and share ideas and craft ways forward on their current challenges and obstacles.
For more info contact Neville October at 066 479 6411.