Maize initiative to revive Cape

A large maize production initiative is on the cards for the Eastern Cape. Dumisa Dlatu, one of the businessmen spearheading the project, said it will stimulate much-needed socioeconomic development in the province, in particular the Wild Coast and former Transkei areas. Eventually the plan is to produce enough maize to set up a biofuels plant at the Wild Coast. “The project will turn a basket case into a food basket,” said Dlatu confirmed that negotiations are under way with Ethanol Africa, SA’s only maize to ethanol project, with a view to get them on board when the project starts producing biofuels. He said Africa is keen to become involved but “they didn’t show interest in having a controlling stake,” he said. Ethanol Africa indicated their interest in the project at the recent African Biofuels Conference in Gauteng, but didn’t want to disclose more information on their involvement in the project.
latu said the initiative will be driven under the auspices of the Eastern Cape Agri Trust, initiated by Dlatu and Wild Coast entrepreneurs Veli Ntsubane and Wilmot Chagi. He said the concept will revive maize production in these areas. maize will feed rural communities and surplus will be sold in maize markets. Latu also hopes to bring Free State farmers on board. Although it’s not clear if farmers will invest finances, they will be involved in a mentoring capacity to transfer skills to new farmers. “We also want to pay them for their mentoring because their involvement must be worth their while,” he said. More than 1 000ha of fertile fallow land has been identified for the project. “Agronomists tell us we will have a yield of nothing less than 10t/ha,” Dlatu said. Some of the land earmarked has been released to the communities
through land restitution and individuals are also making their land available.
“Communities are ecstatic,” he said, explaining that communities will be organised
into smaller cooperatives and will receive benefits based on a rate per ton of maize. trust will distribute profits via the cooperatives to the communities. Their most immediate challenge is to find a financier to buy into the project. Dlatu said they want to begin its first pilot maize trial in the next four months on 460ha of land. The project requires R5 million to R10 million to cover initial start-up costs. “initial finance will not be a handout,” he said, adding that after the first harvest the start-up capital will be paid back. Latu said maize is the preferred crop for the project as communities are familiar with it and it provides food security. – Wilma den Hartigh