Kamberg Valley Farmers’ Association just short of a century  

There’s another close-knit farming community, based in the foothills of the Southern Drakensburg, doing Kwanalu proud. Described by committee member and former Chairman, Franco Esposito, as “progressive”, “generous” and “empathetic”, the Kamberg Valley Farmers’ Association (KVA) has come along way since its humble beginnings in 1919.

Nurturing a strong relationship with members of the wider Kamberg Valley community has been a key focus of this Farmers’ Association, as is evidenced by the regular attendance of the local Chief as well as Ward councillor at the AGMs.

Social responsibility programmes, focusing on education, are high on the KVAs list of priorities and are managed by Ruth Credo, a former accountant from Johannesburg who traded in her big city life for a smallholding in the Kamberg Valley where she grows organic berries and vegetables, has some livestock under her watch and also moonlights as the KVA’s official bookkeeper. What originally started as a reading project to assist with the literacy of primary school children in the rural areas of the Kamberg Valley has grown in to an Early Learning Centre offering enrichment classes to assist children at five local schools with basic literacy, numeracy as well as offering older children and adults computer classes and access to the internet.

With a membership made up of a mixture of old and young, KVA’s current chairman, Rowan van Aardt, an egg and cattle farmer is currently serving his third term.

“We’re trying to get the younger chaps on board. They have more enthusiasm, fresh ideas and are the legacy of this farming community,” explains Rowan.

If you would like your Farmers’ Association to be featured please contact Ethel on info@kwanalu.co.za.