A Community Project

Since our launch 9 years ago, we at Ride Down South have got to know a small community on a rural farm about 100km north west of Johannesburg, South Africe. It's a beautiful spot set in the mountains and we have launched and landed a number of our motorcycles here. In this picture is Miriam Mogoane. Miriam takes care of all the visitors to the farm. She also provides for a large extended family. She is a resourceful woman, working hard in her vegetable gardens and raising chickens and pigs to provide some food and income. Miriam earns R1000 (about $50 per month). The recent La Nina weather cycle has had a devastating effect on her vegetable production.

Miriam Mogoane at her household

the local community raises a few chickens and pigs to generate food and a bit of income

one of the homes in the community

the community has lived on a local farm for the past 35 years

Miriam works hard on her small vegetable garden but the recent drought and a lack of proper fencing has made growing and harvesting difficult

Miriam has a few projects on the go but it is not enough to provide for the whole community

the farm has about 4 hectares of land available for a subsistence and regenerative agriculture project.

Our vision is to transform this wild bushveld into a small agriculture project that would provide employment and produce for the community

At RDS one of our values is to host tours that benefit the communities we visit. We would love to express this by helping enable a regenerative agriculture project that would boost food security and facilitate entrepreneurship in this community. 

What we're planning:
transform 3 hectares of land that is currently wild grassland into a subsistence farming project. We've identified a number of crops that would suit the soil type and climate as well as being of no interest to the local baboon troops that would otherwise wreak havoc. 

What we need now:
starting from scratch is going to take a lot of work. Some of the things we need are:

  • fencing, to keep neighbouring cattle out (R80000 / $4500 including wire, droppers and labour)
  • diesel, to power the tractor to prepare the soil. While we will aim to pursue no-till farming methods, we need to start by removing the well-embedded grass. (200 liters at R25/l = R5000 / $280)
  • labour - all locally sourced, to help prepare the soil, erect fencing and install a drip-irrigation system (60 man days = R15000 / $850)
  • fertiliser to give an initial boost to soil fertility while we cultivate crops that will naturally regenerate the soil (R59000 / $3300)
  • an irrigation and water supply system to bring freely available water in a local river under gravity to the fields (R22000 / $1200)
  • a fertigation system to help correct the soil pH and get the soil chemistry right (R7500 / $450)
  • seeds for crops and plants to regenerate the soil. We are partnering with a local seed supplier Barenbrug who is consulting with us (R5000 / $275)