The strawberry farming initiative at Corobrik’s Rietvlei factory near Pretoria is bearing fruit – the latest achievements not only include a successful harvest that regularly makes its way to leading retailers but also the formation of a trust that will give members of the local community who are working on the farm an opportunity to share in the profits.
The projects origins go back to 2008 when then factory manager Heinrich von Wielligh met with Dominic Cullinan to explore local economic development opportunities in farming on unused Corobrik land that might involve local communities. Robbie Carswell took over as factory manager in 2009 when the essence of the project had been agreed and says what has actually been achieved over the past two years speaks for itself. The project has created 30 permanent jobs for members of the surrounding community where unemployment is high. A further 100 casual jobs are created during the busy harvesting season. In season at least 1000 crates are harvested per day and there are expansion plans for the future.
"It is hard to believe that, a few years ago, the area that now yields crops was an unproductive piece of land without an immediate purpose. It is hugely rewarding for Corobrik to be a part of what is a remarkably successful community upliftment project and to see locals’ seizing the opportunity to forge a better lives for themselves and their families," he said.
Although actually empowering locals was Corobrik’s primary aim, Carswell said that, because it employs people from the surrounding community, the project also played a part in securing Corobrik’s mining licence as did Corobrik’s commitment to eradicating alien vegetation that involves the employment of local people to cut and burn these plants on Corobrik land.
Although the Rietvlei strawberry operation started out with just 5 hectares, today, 30 hectares are being farmed with the possibility of increasing this considerably. The venture hinges on a three way partnership between Corobrik (which supplies the land, water, electricity and management input), Sun Herbs (a neighbouring farming operation) and the staff trust. Corobrik supplies the land and water, Sunherb’s stake is 60% and the staff trust owns the balance. Ownership is granted to staff who have worked a minimum of three years. Breakdown of shareholding is done by skill, team leaders and skilled personnel such as tractor drivers receiving more than general labourers. All staff receive a yearly ‘special’ payout based on profits.
This strawberry project came out of discussions with Dominic Cullinan, owner of the nearby Sunherbs farm, on how farming on fallow land could potentially change the lives of the local community living within an 8 to 15km of the Rietvlei factory. Cullinan still shoulders the responsibility for his own operation and the Corobrik strawberry fields. Strawberry picking is done in the morning. The fruit is then taken to the Sunherbs distribution centre for washing and sorting. Trucks bound for major retailers, including Pick n Pay, leave the farm by 10.30am. After the first picking, the teams return to the same area to pick up the discarded (substandard) strawberries which are sold to be used for jam. Vegetables are also grown in the off season. Fresh herbs, baby marrows and patty pans are now being grown for local sale as well as export to Europe and the Middle East.
Apart from allowing the use of its land, Corobrik has also supplied the water for irrigation which is one of the most critical parts of growing strawberries. Water is pumped from the four dams at Corobrik’s Rietvlei quarries and then into a drip and micro spray irrigation system. Carswell said this was a win win arrangement as the three quarries that are mined for the raw materials to manufacture bricks needed to be dry for mining. Now that the farming project is running, the water that is removed is put to good use.
Cullinan said that Corobrik’s commitment to the project has been phenomenal. "Ever since we approached Corobrik with the idea of farming on their land, they have gone out of their way to make this project a success. Buildings needed for the project have been constructed from bricks produced at the Rietvlei factory. They are also behind our vision to ultimately increase the area under cultivation to as much as 120 hectares."
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