Food security starts with investment in local agriculture

Food security starts with investment in local agriculture

As South Africa marked Food Security Month last month, we had an opportunity to look beyond the food on our tables and consider what it takes to produce it. Strengthening food security requires more than increasing food supply. It means investing in local agriculture, supporting farming communities and creating the conditions for sustainable food production.

World Food Day, which we observed on 16 October, carries the global theme “Innovate today. Nourish tomorrow.” For us, this speaks directly to the importance of connecting investment, agricultural development and market access to unlock South Africa’s agricultural potential.

The Mcambalala Maize Project in the Eastern Cape is one example of how this can work in practice. Initially supporting 70 farmers cultivating white maize across 50 hectares of communal land, the project is being expanded to 350 hectares for the next planting season. At full scale, the expanded project is expected to produce approximately 2,450 metric tons of maize, with an estimated harvest value of around R10 million. 

Beyond the anticipated increase in production, Mcambalala demonstrates how connecting the right resources and partnerships can help bring underutilised land into production, create opportunities for farmers and contribute to local economic development.

Connecting the agricultural value chain

At The Original Grain Company, we believe food security starts long before food reaches a shop or household. It begins with farmers having access to productive land, planting-season finance, agricultural knowledge, operational support and a reliable route to market.

When these elements work together, agriculture can do more than produce food. It can support livelihoods, develop skills and create economic opportunities for farming communities. 

The Mcambalala Maize Project brings these elements together through a connected agricultural model. The Original Grain Fund provides planting-season finance through its Advanced Agricultural Product Purchasing (AAPP) programme. 

The Original Grain NPC facilitates community partnerships, practical training and agricultural development, while The Original Grain Company provides a route to market by purchasing the harvested maize at SAFEX-linked prices. By connecting finance, production support and market access, the model helps participating farmers move from agricultural potential to productive farming activity. It also creates opportunities for communal land to generate economic value for the people and communities involved. 

For us, the opportunity is not simply to increase the number of hectares being cultivated. It is to help establish the conditions that allow agricultural land to remain productive and enable farmers to participate meaningfully in the agricultural economy.

Putting communities at the centre of agricultural development

Sustainable agricultural development requires communities to be active participants in the process. Through the Mcambalala project, participating farmers gain practical experience and develop skills while contributing to a structured farming operation. Bringing communal land into productive use also creates opportunities for the wider community to benefit from the economic activity generated through agriculture.

This approach recognises that communities have an important role to play in strengthening local food production. With the right support, land and people can become part of a more productive agricultural system, creating opportunities that extend beyond a single planting season or harvest. 

The planned expansion from 50 to 350 hectares represents an important step in this direction. Alongside the anticipated increase in maize production, it offers an opportunity to deepen community participation and build a stronger foundation for longer-term agricultural activity. 

Investment can unlock agricultural potential 

For many emerging and communal farmers, the challenge is not necessarily a lack of land or a willingness to farm. Limited access to finance, infrastructure, skills, operational support and established markets can make it difficult to turn that potential into sustainable production. 

This is why we believe investment in agriculture should be viewed as an investment in the wider food system. Supporting farmers and productive agricultural communities can contribute to food production, skills development, local economic activity and the resilience of future food supply. When investment is combined with practical support and market access, it can help create the conditions for agricultural initiatives to become more sustainable over time. 

This opportunity extends beyond traditional agricultural funders. Corporates, mining companies, donors and philanthropists can also play a meaningful role by supporting initiatives that promote productive land use, infrastructure, skills development, community participation and food production. 

The Original Grain NPC provides a platform through which companies and other stakeholders can support community-based agricultural development. Section 18A certificates will be available for all eligible contributions, providing an additional consideration for organisations looking to support qualifying initiatives. 

By contributing to practical agricultural projects, businesses and other stakeholders can complement their existing social investment initiatives while helping to strengthen local food production and create opportunities within communities. 

From seed to supply 

The Mcambalala Maize Project reflects a principle that underpins our approach to agriculture: financing farmers, supporting production, strengthening communities and creating a route to market are not separate activities. They are interconnected parts of the same agricultural ecosystem. 

When these elements are aligned, previously underutilised land can be brought into production, farmers can participate in structured agricultural activity and the resulting harvest can be connected to the wider food supply chain. 

As South Africa observed Food Security Month, Mcambalala offers a practical example of how collaboration and investment can help unlock agricultural potential. The planned expansion to 350 hectares is expected to deliver approximately 2,450 metric tons of maize, with an estimated harvest value of around R10 million. 

These anticipated outcomes represent more than an increase in maize production. They demonstrate the potential for agricultural investment to support productive land use, develop skills, create economic opportunities and strengthen community participation in the agricultural value chain. 

At The Original Grain Company, we believe South Africa's agricultural potential can be better realised by connecting the people, resources and partnerships needed to make production viable and sustainable. Investing in agriculture today is one of the practical ways we can strengthen local food production and help build a more resilient food system for tomorrow. The planned expansion from 50 to 350 hectares represents an important step in this direction. Alongside the