- Enhancing Agricultural Commercialization: The ECRDA aims to accelerate the commercialization of farming, which is vital for improving livelihoods and ensuring food security in the region.
- Community Engagements Focus on Land Reform: A recent community session near Fort Cox Agricultural College brought together various stakeholders to discuss challenges in land reform and ways to improve land access and agricultural productivity.
- Role of Stakeholders in Rural Development: The discussions highlighted the importance of collaboration among government, community members, traditional leaders, and farmer organizations to overcome land reform barriers and stimulate rural economic growth.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Eastern Cape Rural Development Agency (ECRDA), Mr. Simpiwe Somdyala, has reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to driving rural economic transformation during a community engagement session led by Minister Nyhontso of the National Department of Land Reform and Rural Development.
The session, held near Fort Cox Agricultural College in the Amathole District Municipality, focused on the pressing challenges of land reform and rural development. Community members, traditional leaders, farmer organisations, landowners, and local municipalities participated in the discussions, which sought to find solutions to barriers limiting land access and agricultural productivity.
In his address, Somdyala stressed that the ECRDA is committed to unlocking development opportunities, broadening access to agricultural initiatives, and accelerating the commercialization of farming in the province. He emphasized that sustainable rural enterprises are key to transforming livelihoods and ensuring food security.
The engagement underscored the importance of collaboration between government, communities, and development agencies in addressing land reform backlogs while creating viable pathways for rural economic growth.
