EcoFarm Moçambique Lda

Single Origin Organic Cane Sugar

from the Zambeze Valley in Sofala Province, Mozambique

Objectives

EcoFarm defines success in terms of specific social, environmental and commercial impact:
  • People: Create food security, sources of income and faith in a better future for small-scale farmers, by providing irrigation infrastructure, know-how and market access for cash crops.
  • Planet: Absorb carbon and nurture biodiversity. Enrich soils through minimum tillage, co-planting and composting. Gainfully use all by-products and waste from agriculture and milling.
  • Profit: Make the social and environmental impact sustainable by generating profit from exports of high-quality Single Origin Organic Cane Sugar.

Local Conditions

EcoFarm is remotely located on the right bank of the Zambezi river in central Mozambique. It is time-consuming to access by road.

  • The local economy consists of hunting & gathering, subsistence agriculture and fishing…
  • …and the only industry is rapacious, often illegal, logging.
  • Communities cluster close to the river, otherwise population is sparse.
  • Elephants, hippos, monkeys, and crocodiles roam freely.
The EcoFarm site enjoys exceptional conditions to produce Single Origin Organic Cane Sugar:
  • Untouched land and pristine air – no large-scale farming or industry
  • A ‘buffer zone’ of hundreds of kilometers with no chemical use or pollution
  • Abundant uncontaminated water for irrigation from the Zambezi river
  • High solar radiation and a long, hot growing season
  • Good soils well above the flood plain with gently undulating topography

Impact

EcoFarm brings sustainable economic uplift to local communities, with food security, training, a cash crop and high environmental standards.

Almost 600 own staff, plus casual harvesting labor, make EcoFarm the largest employer in the Chemba area, and an additional 500+ households grow cane under supervision of experienced managers. 

EcoFarm’s impact is multidimensional.  Brahman stud bulls are seeded to improve local herds.  Water is piped to the communities.  Education and public health training are stimulated.

Since EcoFarm was established antelopes are slowly returning to the area.

EcoFarm directly contributes towards many of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals

EcoFarm creates jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities in one of the poorest districts on earth.

EcoFarm facilitates infrastructure, inputs and know-how to guarantee food security.

EcoFarm empowers women in co-operatives and opens traditional men’s roles to women.

EcoFarm provides attractive work in sustainable organic food production.

EcoFarm establishes income opportunities for previously left-behind communities.

EcoFarm preserves biodiversity and absorbs carbon to combat climate change.

EcoFarm creates jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities in one of the poorest districts on earth.

EcoFarm facilitates infrastructure, inputs and know-how to guarantee food security.

EcoFarm empowers women in co-operatives and opens traditional men’s roles to women.

EcoFarm provides attractive work in sustainable organic food production.

EcoFarm establishes income opportunities for previously left-behind communities.

EcoFarm preserves biodiversity and absorbs carbon to combat climate change.

The EcoFarm Team

Albano Leite

Albano is EcoFarm’s Irrigation Engineer who plays an important Public Relations role and has been with EcoFarm since inception. He has extensive experience in water and land development for agriculture and is one of the authors of the National Irrigation Strategy of Mozambique. He previously worked at the Zambezi Valley Development Authority.

Rademan Janse van Rensburg

Rademan is EcoFarm’s founder and CEO. He is an experienced and enthusiastic organic farmer who is deeply committed to EcoFarm’s objectives. He enjoys the application of bio-dynamic practices and derives great satisfaction from the improvement of soils, the rejuvenation of the region’s fauna and flora and the enriched quality of life in the communities surrounding EcoFarm.

Johannes Derksen

Han is EcoFarm’s CFO. He has worked in project investment and development in Sub-Saharan Africa since 2006, specializing in commercially sustainable agriculture with a focus on inclusivity for small holder farmers. He is an avid sailor and was previously an investment banker specializing in project finance in New York and London.

Tsitsi Mubvukwedu Vendo

Tsitsi is EcoFarm’s Administrative and Human Resources Manager who is also responsible for Government Relations. She has been with EcoFarm since inception and has leadership experience across many functions from HR to Accounting and Occupational Health and Safety. She aims to achieve a 50:50 gender balance in each department at EcoFarm.

Patricia Harry

Patricia is the Office Manager and is often the first one that clients and visitors meet at EcoFarm. She coordinates the busy flow of traffic through the CEO's office and ensures that records are organized and accessible. She is a champion of gender equality and is proud of EcoFarm’s record in empowering women as full participants.

Lazaro Salizani

Lazaro is Eco Farm’s Agricultural Manager, responsible for the largest group of staff members. He is passionate about testing Biodynamic practices to see which are most effective in EcoFarm’s local conditions and is committed to pursuing evidence-based sustainable agriculture practices. Lazaro came to EcoFarm with substantial plantation management experience.

Prasad Karuturi

Prasad is EcoFarm’s Mill Manager and successfully commissioned the sugar mill in November 2018 after overseeing its assembly and installation. He is focused on producing the highest quality sugar and proud of training local staff members. Prasad is a qualified Mechanical Engineer, who has previously overseen major sugar plant expansion and co- generation projects.

Blessing Paulo Mujuru

Blessing is EcoFarm’s Finance Manager who has successfully introduced and implemented a new computerized general ledger system, with analytical accounts, purchasing and inventory control. He provides prompt and accurate financial and management reports, and thrives in overcoming difficult limitations, leading by example in assisting colleagues and solving problems.

Mateus Chicone & Jacob Matambo

Jacob (R) & Mateus (L) manage EcoFarm’s Livestock. Jacob has worked in numerous technical, supervisory and agricultural roles across EcoFarm and Mateus has worked with EcoFarm’s cattle since inception and knows the history of each animal. Both Jacob and Mateus have grown into their present responsibilities from within, based on dedication to results and keen attention to detail.

Stella Kandiado

Stella is EcoFarm’s Manager of Out-grower Relations and is motivated by a heart-felt commitment to small-grower development. She tirelessly promotes organic disciplines among the co-operatives, balancing training and support with quality control. She brings extensive prior experience of tropical agriculture including sugarcane cultivation to her key role at EcoFarm.

Anton du Toit

Anton is EcoFarm’s Agricultural Mechanization Manager. He has extensive experience managing harvesting and haulage operations on large sugar estates and is a skilled mechanic who plays a key role in training mechanics and equipment operators. Anton is excited to be building a world-class mechanization team at EcoFarm.

Aslam Karim

Aslam is EcoFarm’s Civil Construction Manager, a critical role given the green-field nature of EcoFarm’s establishment, where everything from bridges to support facilities and housing needs to be built from scratch. Aslam takes pride in his demonstrated track record of planning, directing, and coordinating construction projects and in exceeding expectations.

Naadir Esmail

Naadir is the Executive Officer at EcoFarm who coordinates the inbound and outbound logistics and plays a key procurement role supplying the farm and factory cost-effectively. It brings him great joy to find solutions for the inevitable difficulties of a startup in organic food in Mozambique and he looks forward to the satisfaction of fast-growing high-quality sugar exports.

Verónica Chico

Verónica is EcoFarm’s HSE Officer who works tirelessly to cultivate the safest and healthiest working environment possible. She trains and provides guidance, inspects and controls, to ensure both Occupational Safety and the highest Environmental Standards. With her HSE experience, Verónica finds the start-up challenges at EcoFarm highly exciting.

Kobus Visser

Kobus is EcoFarm’s Chief Engineer, responsible for the technical management of the extensive maintenance, repair and fabrication facilities at EcoFarm. His role is essential to keep the factory and the farm equipment operational in EcoFarm’s remote location, with its long spare part supply lines. He has many qualifications and a lifetime of practical experience.

Albano Leite

Albano is EcoFarm’s Irrigation Engineer who plays an important Public Relations role and has been with EcoFarm since inception. He has extensive experience in water and land development for agriculture and is one of the authors of the National Irrigation Strategy of Mozambique. He previously worked at the Zambezi Valley Development Authority.

Rademan Janse van Rensburg

Rademan is EcoFarm’s founder and CEO. He is an experienced and enthusiastic organic farmer who is deeply committed to EcoFarm’s objectives. He enjoys the application of bio-dynamic practices and derives great satisfaction from the improvement of soils, the rejuvenation of the region’s fauna and flora and the enriched quality of life in the communities surrounding EcoFarm.

Johannes Derksen

Han is EcoFarm’s CFO. He has worked in project investment and development in Sub-Saharan Africa since 2006, specializing in commercially sustainable agriculture with a focus on inclusivity for small holder farmers. He is an avid sailor and was previously an investment banker specializing in project finance in New York and London.

Tsitsi Mubvukwedu Vendo

Tsitsi is EcoFarm’s Administrative and Human Resources Manager who is also responsible for Government Relations. She has been with EcoFarm since inception and has leadership experience across many functions from HR to Accounting and Occupational Health and Safety. She aims to achieve a 50:50 gender balance in each department at EcoFarm.

Patricia Harry

Patricia is the Office Manager and is often the first one that clients and visitors meet at EcoFarm. She coordinates the busy flow of traffic through the CEO's office and ensures that records are organized and accessible. She is a champion of gender equality and is proud of EcoFarm’s record in empowering women as full participants.

Lazaro Salizani

Lazaro is Eco Farm’s Agricultural Manager, responsible for the largest group of staff members. He is passionate about testing Biodynamic practices to see which are most effective in EcoFarm’s local conditions and is committed to pursuing evidence-based sustainable agriculture practices. Lazaro came to EcoFarm with substantial plantation management experience.

Prasad Karuturi

Prasad is EcoFarm’s Mill Manager and successfully commissioned the sugar mill in November 2018 after overseeing its assembly and installation. He is focused on producing the highest quality sugar and proud of training local staff members. Prasad is a qualified Mechanical Engineer, who has previously overseen major sugar plant expansion and co- generation projects.

Blessing Paulo Mujuru

Blessing is EcoFarm’s Finance Manager who has successfully introduced and implemented a new computerized general ledger system, with analytical accounts, purchasing and inventory control. He provides prompt and accurate financial and management reports, and thrives in overcoming difficult limitations, leading by example in assisting colleagues and solving problems.

Mateus Chicone & Jacob Matambo

Jacob (R) & Mateus (L) manage EcoFarm’s Livestock. Jacob has worked in numerous technical, supervisory and agricultural roles across EcoFarm and Mateus has worked with EcoFarm’s cattle since inception and knows the history of each animal. Both Jacob and Mateus have grown into their present responsibilities from within, based on dedication to results and keen attention to detail.

Stella Kandiado

Stella is EcoFarm’s Manager of Out-grower Relations and is motivated by a heart-felt commitment to small-grower development. She tirelessly promotes organic disciplines among the co-operatives, balancing training and support with quality control. She brings extensive prior experience of tropical agriculture including sugarcane cultivation to her key role at EcoFarm.

Anton du Toit

Anton is EcoFarm’s Agricultural Mechanization Manager. He has extensive experience managing harvesting and haulage operations on large sugar estates and is a skilled mechanic who plays a key role in training mechanics and equipment operators. Anton is excited to be building a world-class mechanization team at EcoFarm.

Aslam Karim

Aslam is EcoFarm’s Civil Construction Manager, a critical role given the green-field nature of EcoFarm’s establishment, where everything from bridges to support facilities and housing needs to be built from scratch. Aslam takes pride in his demonstrated track record of planning, directing, and coordinating construction projects and in exceeding expectations.

Naadir Esmail

Naadir is the Executive Officer at EcoFarm who coordinates the inbound and outbound logistics and plays a key procurement role supplying the farm and factory cost-effectively. It brings him great joy to find solutions for the inevitable difficulties of a startup in organic food in Mozambique and he looks forward to the satisfaction of fast-growing high-quality sugar exports.

Verónica Chico

Verónica is EcoFarm’s HSE Officer who works tirelessly to cultivate the safest and healthiest working environment possible. She trains and provides guidance, inspects and controls, to ensure both Occupational Safety and the highest Environmental Standards. With her HSE experience, Verónica finds the start-up challenges at EcoFarm highly exciting.

Kobus Visser

Kobus is EcoFarm’s Chief Engineer, responsible for the technical management of the extensive maintenance, repair and fabrication facilities at EcoFarm. His role is essential to keep the factory and the farm equipment operational in EcoFarm’s remote location, with its long spare part supply lines. He has many qualifications and a lifetime of practical experience.