The Dr Sam Motsuenyane Rural Development Foundation was founded by Dr Sam Motsuenyane, a pioneer in economic transformation who has dedicated his life to empowering individuals and communities to participate in rural and township economies.
The Foundation was created and designed to address the needs and challenges which presently impede the development of township and rural communities in South Africa, more especially in the agricultural sector. The Foundation’s roots are anchored in townships and rural areas where some of its flagship agricultural projects in grain, vegetables and citrus production are located, spanning Gauteng, North-West and Mpumalanga Provinces.
OUR INSPIRATION
Our Patron Dr Sam Motsuenyane, the first black extension officer who started a career in agriculture and conservation in the late 1940s. Dr Motsuenyane is the doyen of black business and has founded and chaired many black business organizations such as the African Bank and the National African Federated Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NAFCOC). He has dedicated all his life to pioneering and promoting entrepreneurship and black business in the townships, even during the dark days of apartheid.
Our focus is to stimulate economic activity in rural and township areas by focusing on increasing and aggregating fragmented production efforts by township SMEs and entrepreneurs. The Foundation’s aims to achieve this through creating partnerships and mobilizing resources consequential to SME development, as well as creating linkages for access to markets.