Projects

Current Projects

The Absa Farmers Development Programme

Where it all started

The Sernick Group’s First Developing Farmers Programme, which took place between 2018 and 2020, was highly successful in recruiting, training, and setting up emerging black farmers with supply opportunities through integration into Sernick’s value chain.

Who qualified?

All farmers with a formal land tenure of more than 300ha, as well as 40 productive cattle, may apply for this second programme. Those who have already benefited from the first leg of the programme with The Jobs Fund are not eligible to apply again, but they are automatically considered for selection as a Tier 3 in the second programme.

Programme

The Sernick Group can now commence with the second phase of its Developing Farmers Programme in the Free State thanks to grant funding from Absa. In this second phase, Absa and SANPC will collaborate over the course of a three year programme. This collaboration will allow Sernick to take on 60 additional Tier 2 farmers and 40 additional Tier 3 farmers. Absa will also make loans available to eligible Tier 3 farmers on certain terms and conditions.

SETA training

In all, 660 farmers were recruited, given SETA accredited training, and given the chance to replace old stock with high-quality cattle that bring in higher prices. Of these 660 farmers, 300 were equipped with the technical skills needed to develop their own herds while still maintaining healthy cash flow to meet working capital requirements. Of these 300 farmers, 50 were upskilled into viable commercial entities with their own production capacity.