Unlock this story — it’s free
On the 20th of June Boxer super stores and Whole sale & Retail SETA hosted a graduation ceremony for hundred and twenty small scale famers in Bizana at the Adelaide and Oliver Tambo regional hospital Auditorium. Different stake holders were involved in the success of the graduates. The idea of developing and giving access to the market to small scale famers was given birth to by chiefs, councilors together with Boxer super store and W&R SETA.
Jason McCall communications liaison for Boxer super stores shared with Pondoland Times that the idea has assisted 300 famers in creating sustainability for their farming. He added that the farmers have the know how but they just needed some assistance in getting into stores and to make a sustainable living out of this project and Boxer is super proud to be part of this project.
“I firmly believe that this project and this campaign is one of the most needed things to happen in this country and is one of the most positive things to come and it’s not just three hundred new graduates it’s three hundred new jobs, three hundred new opportunities, three hundred new places for people to understand that their hard work in the farms can be commercially sustainable” Jason McCall.
W&R SETA’s manager Martha Shingange said they were approached by Boxer super stores sharing a common concern that they want to up skill small scale farmers in having access to the market then the project started where small-scale farmers were trained.
Martha Shingange said, three hundred small scale famers across the Eastern Cape graduated through this project creating opportunities that help communities to be sustainable, which means the issues of unemployment and poverty are addressed added that, the project received so much support from Alfred Nzo Development Agency (ANDA), Alfred Nzo district municipality, and most importantly traditional leadership because they have access for the land that young people need to work.
Speaking on behalf of Boxer super store executives, Ntombi Dludla who is a group executive for stake holder engagement and sustainability at Boxer super stores broke down the actual number of graduates across the Eastern Cape she said the project recruited a total number of three hundred famers In the Eastern Cape.
- King William’s Town hundred and seven
- Mthatha forty-six
- Bizana hundred and twenty
Golden Ratio College equipped farmers with the following skills to better understand working the land and access to market:
- Granting a small business
- Merchandising products in a business
- Replantation of stock
- Pest control
- Food and safety good and good agricultural practice
- Sources of contamination
Yonela Ndzoboyi shared words of gratitude and reassurance to Boxer super stores, he said that as the famers they are ready to supply fresh produce and with the skills they have been equipped with they are going to run with the baton.
