WALTER SISULU & ECRDA PARTNER TO DRIVE RURAL DEVELOPMENT

iYunivesithi Walter Sisulu and the Eastern Cape Rural Development Agency (ECRDA) have joined forces to turn academic knowledge into practical rural development solutions through research, innovation and community-based interventions.

The two entities formalised their partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding signed on Wednesday 12 August at the Phyllis Ntantala Collaborative Library, where they established a framework for collaboration around rural development.

The partnership will bring together the university’s research and innovation capabilities with ECRDA’s rural development mandate, applying academic expertise to challenges facing rural communities.

At the heart of their collaboration is Food Futures, one of the University’s signature themes emerging from its Vision 2040 strategy.

Walter Sisulu Vice-Chancellor, Professor Thandi Mgwebi, said the university’s Food Futures theme is deliberately positioned beyond agriculture as it recognises how food affects communities.

“We speak about food futures, not in the context of just agriculture, but we're talking in the context of food and its intersection with health, culture rural development, and innovation. This means that all our faculties will have an input into the building of this theme, including agriculture, marine food security, or food insecurity,” said Mgwebi.

The collaboration between Walter Sisulu and ECRDA will focus on areas including sustainable agriculture, food security, regenerative farming and climate resilience.

It will also support efforts to strengthen farmers’ access to government, private and international markets, while exploring digital agriculture and other technologies that can strengthen agricultural production in the region.

ECRDA Board Chairperson Phumzile Zitumane said strengthening agriculture was important to the region because of its role as a productive sector, while emphasising the need to connect development initiatives with academic expertise.

For ECRDA Chief Executive Officer, Simpiwe Somdyala, the focus goes beyond individual interventions to understanding what makes particular communities function and identifying the resources and capabilities already present within those communities.

“We're trying to find those builders in those communities,” said Somdyala.

Moving forward, Walter Sisulu and the ECRDA will develop specific projects aimed at strengthening food security, supporting sustainable agriculture, improving farmers’ access to markets, amongst other key initiatives.

“Our goal is not just to empower students, but to transform communities, and to transform these individuals themselves so they can become change agents in society” said Mgwebi.