By Nangamso Mabindla
11 November 2004

THE Buffalo City community of Mngqesha has lived with grinding poverty for many years. Not any more …

Along with the South African Local Government Association (Salga), the community now runs an agricultural co-operative programme, growing food to feed residents and to sell for a profit.

Residents approached Salga last year, outlining the effect of poverty on their mostly unemployed community. "We knew that we needed to do something," says chairperson of the newly formed Mthonyana Development Enterprise, Lulama Ntusi, "so we approached Salga with the aim of starting a co-operative type of business".

The project was launched in September 2003, but struggled to get going after a drought hit Buffalo City.

Earlier this year things improved and the co-op managed to sell its first vegetables. "We made R30 000, but we're definitely looking to improve on that in the next couple of years," says Ntusi.

There are 70 members in the co-operative and each produces a different vegetable on the 200 hectares of land they use.

Through their link to Salga, the group managed to secure training in agricultural methods and the marketing of their produce.

"Salga provided for us," Ntusi says. "The Department of Labour was asked to assist us in preparing the soil, cultivation, pesticides and other necessities. We're now able to produce quality vegetables."

And the Buffalo City Municipality came on board to ensure that the co-op remained financially viable, with a good management structure. According to Ntusi the municipality sent officials to ensure that finances, production and other functions were managed smoothly.

"We're grateful for this assistance because it shows that our future is, in a way, secure because there are slim chances of mismanagement of any sort - the municipality ensures that," Ntusi says.

Mthonyana Development Enterprise is now planning to expand its operations so that it can sell its vegetables in nearby King Williams Town and East London.

Currently, the Mngqesha community buys all the vegetables. "They buy our produce and by the time we've finished with them, we're already out of stock. We need to produce more for the outside market," says Ntusi.