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Farmers in Bushbuckridge Local Municipality are rebuilding their livelihoods after recent floods caused widespread damage to crops, irrigation systems and farming infrastructure.
An oversight visit to three key agricultural projects — the Dingledale Irrigation Scheme, Benica Farms in Acornhoek and Mariti Harvest — highlighted both the scale of the losses and the resilience of local producers. The visit was led by the Mpumalanga MEC for Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs, Khethiwe Moeketsi, alongside the municipal executive led by Executive Mayor Lydia Moroane, Council Speaker Ruth Raganya, Chief Whip Malandule, MMC for Economic Development, Environment and Planning Patricia Gubayi, ward councillors and community representatives.
At the Dingledale Irrigation Scheme, farmers were assured that refurbishment of the canal, badly damaged by heavy rains and flooding, will begin soon. Crops were destroyed, while irrigation infrastructure, smart box systems and furrow irrigation channels were severely affected. The 1 748-hectare scheme, established in 1966, supports more than 300 families whose livelihoods depend on the canal. Farmers from the scheme supply produce to the Government Nutrition Programme and retailers including Boxer, Spar, Pick n Pay and Shoprite in Thulamahashe, Bushbuckridge and Acornhoek.
In Acornhoek, the delegation visited Benica Farms, a multi-award-winning, SAP GAP-certified operation led by co-founders Bennedicter and Veronica Mhlongo. The farm supplies fresh vegetables, fruit and processed products to local retailers. Support was provided in the form of 15 000 spinach seedlings, 15 000 cabbage seedlings and five 50kg bags of fertiliser.
In Mariti, the team visited Mariti Harvest, a mixed-farming project led by 28-year-old Makhutso Mnisi, which specialises in horticulture and the export of agricultural produce. The farm received 4 000 Raja chilli seedlings, 5 000 spinach seedlings, 1 500 tomato seedlings and five 50kg bags of fertiliser.
Mnisi described the human and economic impact of the floods on her operation. “The recent floods devastated us in a sense that we lost about 2 000 tomatoes, which would have given us roughly 400 crates of tomatoes. Some of our workers who went for December holidays came back to no jobs because of this. The loss did not only affect workers, it also impacted our buyers,” she said.
All the farms employ local workers, contribute to the local economy and support surrounding communities through food production and job creation. They also supply produce to government nutrition programmes and regional retailers.
The visits underscored the resilience of Bushbuckridge’s farming community and the importance of coordinated support to restore production, rebuild infrastructure and secure sustainable livelihoods for rural families.
