Securing a sustainable food supply in Africa depends on diminishing dependence on imports and enhancing the efficiency of local markets. This offers numerous social, economic, and environmental benefits for Africa and its people, including greater food security, stimulating economic development, and improving nutrition and health. As a company with over 20 years of South African agricultural experience, RegenZ recently signed up to the Investment Development Hub’s (IDH’s) Southern African Food Systems Alliance (the Alliance) as an associate partner.
About the Alliance
The IDH and the Alliance are contributing to food systems transformation by promoting local sourcing within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. With a target of achieving 80% local sourcing by 2033, the Alliance fosters collaboration among food companies to invest in local communities.
The IDH funds efforts to encourage large corporates in Southern Africa to agree to source 80% of their raw materials inputs by localising supply chains. IDH has experience in achieving this around the world, and has already signed on a dominant FMCG company, Unilever.
RegenZ, as an associate partner in the Alliance, plays a crucial role in advancing this vision of regional food security. They leverage their expertise in South African agriculture to provide tailored solutions to smallholder farming groups. By working directly with these communities, RegenZ helps enhance their productivity and sustainability through the provision of organic-based soil and crop nutrition products, biological crop protection, and innovative farming techniques.
The role of RegenZ in creating a viable local market
RegenZ is working with Southern African smallholder farming (SHF) groups to provide knowledge, expertise, and successful soil and crop nutrition products at affordable prices. The team at RegenZ work on a customised approach that caters for the unique considerations when working with small-scale farming operations, including equipment, soil, crop and region.
In particular, an important objective when planning SHF programs is to retain the soil’s natural fertility status. Since many SHF may not have experience with synthetic fertilisers or pesticides, it's important to focus on improving yield and quality without harming soil health. Before developing an input programme, RegenZ typically looks at soil samples from a few farms to gauge the general soil quality and understand the growing groups’ requirements and the crops being grown. Another important consideration is marketability. The SHF groups sign offtake agreements (agreements of advance purchase) with local buyers and buying groups, who also guide farmers about which crops to grow based on the demand. This ensures a sustainable market for the crop being produced so that the farmer is sufficiently remunerated and can continue to grow in the next season.
Alex Platt, RegenZ Business Development Manager, says: "As a company deeply rooted in South African agriculture for over two decades, RegenZ recognizes the critical role of local markets and sustainable farming practices in securing Africa's food future. Our partnership with the Southern African Food Systems Alliance underscores our commitment to empowering smallholder farmers and enhancing regional food security through tailored solutions and strategic collaborations."
RegenZ is currently working with the following SHF groups:
- U Can Grow (IDH’s leading partner)
- Wild Coast Foods (Alliance steering committee member)
- Abundant Village
- Mahlathini
Solutions that RegenZ provides includes :
- Organic-based soil and crop nutrition products
- Chicken manure-based fertiliser (region-dependent due to logistics cost)
- Biological crop protection
- Mobile seedling nursery, which doubles as a chicken coop (Roots and Roost)
- Affordable knapsack sprays
Coming soon also is, True potato seed, a revolutionary way of growing potatoes in small holder farming operations that results in reduced input and transport costs
Photo Courtesy : Veectezy