President Cyril Ramaphosa Visits Redlands Farm as Dairy Agriculture Drives Jobs in Stutterheim

President Cyril Ramaphosa visited Redlands Farm in Stutterheim, Amahlathi Local Municipality, highlighting the role of agricultural investment in supporting rural economic development, employment and food production. The 357-hectare dairy farm opened its doors in 2023 and has since developed into an agricultural enterprise serving an established market in Buffalo City Metro. The farm received support from the Land Bank and the Department of Agriculture through the Blended Finance Scheme in 2025. That support has helped strengthen the farm’s development while contributing to its ability to operate as a commercial agricultural business. The presidential visit brought attention to the potential of dairy farming to create jobs and contribute to local economic activity.

Redlands Farm has created employment for 70 people, making it an important source of income and economic participation in the surrounding area. Employment creation is one of the key ways in which agricultural investment can benefit rural communities. A productive commercial farm requires people to support daily operations, livestock management and other activities linked to production. These jobs can provide households with income while supporting spending and economic activity in nearby communities. The farm’s employment contribution therefore extends beyond the boundaries of its 357 hectares.

The farm’s established market in Buffalo City Metro is another important part of its development. Having a market for agricultural products provides farmers with an outlet for their production and creates a foundation for business sustainability. Dairy farming requires reliable production and effective connections to buyers because milk and related products form part of a supply chain that depends on consistent demand. A functioning market also gives an agricultural enterprise an opportunity to generate revenue and reinvest in its operations. The connection between Redlands Farm and Buffalo City Metro demonstrates the importance of linking rural production with established urban and regional markets.

The support received through the Blended Finance Scheme in 2025 is significant because access to finance is an important consideration for agricultural businesses. Farming requires investment in land, infrastructure, equipment, livestock and day-to-day production activities. Blended finance combines different forms of financial support to help make agricultural investment more accessible and sustainable. In the case of Redlands Farm, support from the Land Bank and the Department of Agriculture contributed to the development of the dairy enterprise. Such support can help commercial agricultural projects strengthen their productive capacity and contribute to broader agricultural development.

The visit also brought together senior leaders from the national and provincial governments. President Ramaphosa was accompanied by Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane, Land Reform and Rural Development Minister Mzwanele Nyhontso and Department of Agriculture MEC Nonceba Kontsiwe. Their presence placed the Redlands Farm visit within a broader discussion about agriculture, rural development and government support. Engagement between government leaders and agricultural enterprises provides an opportunity to see how agricultural programmes and financing mechanisms translate into activities on the ground. It also brings attention to the challenges and opportunities that farmers encounter as they build commercial operations.

The development of Redlands Farm since opening in 2023 shows the importance of sustained investment in agricultural enterprises. Establishing a farm as a functioning business involves more than having access to land. Farmers need production systems, infrastructure, financing, workers and reliable markets to maintain operations. Support from agricultural institutions can help address some of these requirements while allowing farmers to focus on building productive businesses. The progress of the dairy farm demonstrates how these elements can come together to create an enterprise with employment and market connections.

Dairy farming also plays a specific role in agricultural value chains because production is connected to processing, distribution and consumers. Milk produced on farms must move through a supply chain before reaching the final market. This creates economic activity beyond the farm and connects primary agricultural production with other businesses and services. A commercial dairy operation can therefore contribute to a broader network of economic participants. Redlands Farm’s established market in Buffalo City Metro provides an example of how agricultural production can be linked to demand in a nearby urban economy.

For the Amahlathi Local Municipality and the wider Stutterheim area, an agricultural enterprise employing 70 people represents a meaningful local economic contribution. Rural communities need productive businesses that can provide employment while making use of available agricultural resources. Commercial farms can also create indirect demand for goods and services required for production and business operations. The scale of these wider effects can vary, but a functioning agricultural enterprise can form part of the economic base of a rural area. Redlands Farm’s development therefore has relevance beyond its role as a dairy producer.

Government support for agricultural development is particularly important when the objective is to build sustainable businesses rather than provide short-term assistance. Financing mechanisms need to help enterprises develop productive capacity and reach markets. Agricultural businesses also need the ability to manage their operations effectively and generate sufficient income to remain viable. The Redlands Farm example combines public sector support with an established commercial market and measurable employment creation. These factors provide a practical illustration of how agricultural investment can contribute to rural development.

The farm’s visit by the President also draws attention to the importance of recognising successful agricultural enterprises and the people who work in them. Farmers and agricultural workers play a direct role in producing food and maintaining agricultural value chains. Their work supports consumers while contributing to economic activity in rural and urban areas. Highlighting these enterprises can also encourage greater attention to the opportunities that exist within agriculture. At the same time, continued support and sound business management remain necessary for farms to maintain their progress.

Redlands Farm’s development also demonstrates why access to finance remains an important issue for agricultural producers. Commercial agriculture often requires substantial capital, and farmers may face challenges when trying to secure suitable funding. Programmes such as blended finance can help address some of these barriers by combining financial resources in ways that support investment. The involvement of the Land Bank and Department of Agriculture in the farm’s development illustrates the role that agricultural finance can play in supporting productive enterprises. Continued access to appropriate finance can help viable farms maintain and expand their operations where business conditions allow.

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s visit to Redlands Farm puts a spotlight on an agricultural enterprise that has developed since opening in 2023 and now provides employment for 70 people while serving an established market in Buffalo City Metro. The farm’s 357-hectare operation has benefited from support through the Land Bank and Department of Agriculture’s Blended Finance Scheme, linking agricultural finance with commercial production. The presence of senior national and provincial leaders further highlights the importance of agriculture in discussions about rural development and economic opportunity. Redlands Farm shows how land, investment, labour, production and market access can combine to support a functioning agricultural business. Its continued development will remain important not only for the farm itself but also for the workers, market connections and rural economy linked to its operations.