TCOE – ‘Organizing small scale farmers for a better land management’

Founded in 1983 by Steve Biko, the Trust for Community Outreach and Education (TCOE) is a national organization aiming at organizing small scale farmers and build social movements. Indeed, in the rural areas of South Africa, commercial agriculture owns 85% of the land and the redistribution takes a lot of time since the end of apartheid. TCOE is convinced that agroecology is a viable solution for the future of agriculture in the world, and they assist farmers to use agroecological methods. Mercia Andrews, National Coordinator of TCOE, explains us how the organization works.

Why was  TCOE created?

Mercia Andrews, National Coordinator of TCOE: It is an organization which is over 35 years old and which was founded by Seve Biko in the Eastern Cape. We have a long history that goes back to the days of apartheid. At this time, there was a very big focus on education of all kinds, because during apartheid time the government denied black people in this country. For them, it was very difficult to study, so the organization tried to make a difference, focusing on education in the rural areas.

‘It is an organization which is over 35 years old and which was founded by Seve Biko in the Eastern Cape.’

How does it work exactly?

We stopped looking at education because we think it is government’s role. Nevertheless, education is linked with our work because when you learn to know your rights, you can more easily fight for them. Today, we focus on the land and agrarian question, which are unresolved issues since the apartheid.

What is the challenge with land in South Africa today?

It is not a simple question and a simple answer. There is the urban dimension, because houses are built always further away from the inner cities and the inner cities are not transformed. But our main preoccupation is in the rural areas. Here, the structure and the governance of land is still the same as what it was during the apartheid. We have big industrial farms that own and control 85% of the land. The other land is in the hands and the controls of the chiefs. Only about 8% of land has really been redistributed. We work with small scale farmers and we are convinced that they contribute to the economy.

‘[In the rural areas], we have big industrial farms that own and control 85% of the land. The other land is in the hands and the controls of the chiefs. Only about 8% of land has really been redistributed.’

How do you do concretely to work with small scale farmers and farm workers?

We work by organizing small farmers, because if you are not organized, you cannot challenge! As individuals it is impossible to challenge a system. In this country, commercial agriculture is very organized and reactive, which is not the case for small farmers. We help them to build organizations. On the 2 million small producers in the country, we have reached at least 5% of that. We still have a long way to go!

‘We work by organizing small farmers, because if you are not organized, you cannot challenge!’

Then, we help these groups to use the land. We use agroecological methods, we have a big programme around saving of indigenous seeds, and we work with Via Campesina for this. We need to challenge the multinational seed companies: why do they want to buy our seeds? There is a difference between an indigenous seed and a seed that has been technically modified in a laboratory.

‘We need to challenge the multinational seed companies: why do they want to buy our seeds?’

Could you give three words to describe the spirit of TCOE?

Organize or starve.

What was the biggest challenge for the organization?

It is to get people to understand that they have the power within their own hands. We don’t have to wait politics, we are the power!

‘We don’t have to wait politics, we are the power!’

How do you see the evolution of TCOE in the next 10 years?

We think there will be no TCOE in the next 5 to 10 years, because we will be part of the movement. We will become the technical support of the farmer’s movement. Our accountability will be stronger if we are inside the movement.