‘Back to the fields’: The Implementation and Impact of Government Efforts to Revive Field Cultivation in Ndabakazi in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

Field cultivation abandonment in rural parts of South Africa is widely acknowledged in academic literature, but what remains less reported are the government efforts to revamp field cultivation. In this article, we critically report on qualitative findings from one of the government’s efforts to revive maize field cultivation using mechanisation. The article is based on a case study of the Zanentlutha programme in Ndabakazi villages in Butterworth. The programme started in 2014 with more than 60 members but now has 32 members. To gain insights into its implementation and impact, we interviewed 24 participants, mostly active members but also a few ex-members, some who have never joined the project, and the agricultural adviser. The government contributes about 60 per cent of the maize production costs of the project and the rest is paid by beneficiaries as a yearly fee of nearly R3,000 (US$155) per hectare per member. The project takes the form of a primary co-operative that has a three-member committee. In the 2022 production season, beneficiaries received on average a share of 1.2 tonnes of maize per hectare each, amounting to R6,000 (US$310) per hectare if sold locally. Most of this maize (60 per cent) is sold locally and the remainder used for home consumption. Despite its minimal impacts and associated challenges, the project contributes to seasonal employment for local young people and the dried maize stalks and leaves provide feed for community livestock.