The Eastern Cape Rural Development Agency (ECRDA), led by CEO Mr. Simpiwe Somdyala, has entered into a powerful new partnership with the African Seeds Group, represented by Managing Director Mr. Mihan Louw, and HelloChoice, represented by Co-Founder and CEO Mr. Grant Jacobs.
The signing of this Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) marks a bold and visionary step towards revitalising crop and food production in the Eastern Cape, a move that positions the province as a key player in driving agricultural transformation and rural economic growth.
Through this partnership, ECRDA and its collaborators aim to unlock the full potential of the province’s farming communities by focusing on:
- Access to quality agricultural inputs and technical support
- Improved market access and trade facilitation
- Innovative financial support mechanisms
- Capital raising and resource mobilisation
- Farmer training and capacity building
- Digital platform development for trade, finance, and supply chain optimisation
The ECRDA will provide loan funding for qualifying projects and mobilising capital from Development Finance Institutions. The agency will facilitate critical post-harvest infrastructure including storage silos and packhouses, support land preparation and establishment costs, and streamline regulatory compliance including water licenses and environmental assessments.
African Seeds Group will deliver seasonal input financing and high-quality seeds, fertilizers, and agrochemicals. Through embedded extension services, ASG offers hands-on agronomy support while securing market access through contracted offtake agreements. The company will manage fund distribution, oversee loan repayments, and build farmer capacity through training and investment readiness programmes.
HelloChoice’s Agri-Fintech solutions and market accelerator programme that includes a funded wallet system and comprehensive trading platform, will digitise transactions and payments to provide effective control, efficiency and transparency across the entire value chain.
The collaboration will prioritise the production and commercialisation of high-value summer and winter grains (such as maize, wheat, and barley), nutritious vegetables (including potatoes, cabbages, and tomatoes), and fodder crops (such as lucerne and sorghum).
Mihan Louw, Managing Director of African Seeds Group, expressed his excitement and gratitude to the ECRDA for their support. “This partnership will further strengthen the access to production input funding for developing farmers. The structure of this partnership will in future be a blueprint for how the private and public sector work together – using technology – to better the lives of rural communities through agriculture.”
Grant Jacobs, CEO and Co-Founder of HelloChoice, added: “By synergising ECRDA’s developmental mandate with ASG’s agricultural expertise and HelloChoice’s digital innovation, we’re creating an ecosystem that addresses the complete value chain, from finance aggregation to production support and market access. Our technology platform and payment solutions will ensure transparency, efficiency, and direct market linkages that have historically been out of reach for smallholder farmers in the Eastern Cape.”
ECRDA CEO, Mr. Simpiwe Somdyala, welcomed the partnership as a catalytic step in advancing the province’s agricultural transformation agenda.
“This partnership signifies more than just collaboration; it represents a shared commitment to transforming the Eastern Cape’s rural economy through inclusive and sustainable agricultural development. By bringing together the strengths of public development finance, private sector innovation, and digital technology, we are creating a model that empowers smallholder farmers to become competitive, market-ready producers”.
This initiative represents a game-changing opportunity for smallholder and emerging farmers in the province, empowering them with better access to markets, financing, and modern farming technologies.
For media inquiries, please contact:
| Mihan Louw | Zolisa Magini | Grant Jacobs |
|---|---|---|
| mihan@zaad.co.za | maginiz@ecrda.co.za | grantj@hellochoice.co.za |
