Fruitful gains for Durban’s local economy
Lesley Mabasa, a scientist from Africa-Bio said their objective on the day was to supply small scale farmers with certified potato seeds.
IN a move to help grow the local farming industry and the economy, the City, together with the non-profit biotechnology association, Africa-Bio, equipped small scale farmers with skills to expand their businesses.
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The City’s Agro-Ecology, Agri-Business, Economic Development, and Invest Durban units partnered for the programme.
The workshop was conducted at the City’s Agro-hub in Northdene, which saw focus placed on growing the potato farming industry, as there is potential growth in this sector.
Lesley Mabasa, a scientist from Africa-Bio, said the objective on the day was to supply small scale farmers with certified potato seeds.
Mabasa said these are currently in high demand but are expensive to produce.
“This workshop was beneficial because we face a challenge in accessing the right information when first starting out, especially as a first-generation farmer. Being a beneficiary of these potato tubers will aid our expansion as a business and add it to our repertoire of products, ” said Bongani Miya, a small-scale farmer.
Phumla Jali from Invest Durban said they aimed to provide start-up farmers with both information and practical support so they are sustainable and contribute to local economic growth.
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