Idle land can help solve South Africa's food insecurity crisis, says expert

AS SOUTH Africa grapples with rising food insecurity, unemployment, and mounting pressure on rural economies, Reginald Zalisile Mayekiso believes the country already holds the solution within its borders.

- ASHLEY LECHMAN

The founder of Olifantshoek Trading Enterprise, commonly known as OTE, has spent more than a decade working alongside emerging farmers to transform underutilised land into productive farming operations that support both food production and rural economic growth.

Operating within the Gamagara Local Municipality in the Northern Cape, OTE focuses on livestock and poultry farming, land preparation, mechanisation, and technical agricultural support aimed at helping farmers establish sustainable businesses.

For Mayekiso, agriculture is not simply about farming. It is about restoring economic participation and resilience in communities that have long been overlooked.

“South Africa has the land, the people, and the agricultural potential to make a meaningful impact on food insecurity,” said Mayekiso.

“What is often missing is structured support, implementation, and long term investment in emerging farmers. Our focus is on building sustainable agricultural systems that create long term economic participation and food production within rural communities.”

His journey began in 2013 with just 13 ewe lambs and a determination to prove that rural land, when supported correctly, could become a driver of economic activity.