Fresh, local, and proudly community-grown, Deelpan’s harvest of lettuce has officially hit the shelves at Spar in Sannieshof, signaling a bold new chapter for small-scale farmers.
Deelpan’s Multifunctional Agri-Node farmers have delivered their first harvest of lettuce heads to the local Spar supermarket in Sannieshof, keeping shelves stocked and satisfying growing local demand with quality produce straight from the field.
With greens flying off the shelves, this delivery to Spar marks more than just a milestone; it’s proof that small-scale farmers can meet commercial standards and thrive in competitive spaces.
What started with 6,000 seedlings from Seriti’s nurseries that produces over 300 000 vegetable seedlings per production cycle has grown into a powerful example of collaboration, consistency, and local food production. Of those seedlings, 5,600 were distributed to other Seriti Institute Agri-Node sites nationwide, extending the reach and capacity. The remaining 400 seedlings were carefully planted in Deelpan as a pilot, where they’ve matured into crisp, market-ready heads, now proudly displayed on Spar’s shelves.
Behind this success is a dedicated team of Social Employment Fund participants and Seriti Institute agriculture team who have spent months nurturing the crops, from soil preparation, planting, monitoring on a daily basis until harvesting stage.
Their efforts represent more than just agricultural achievement, they symbolises a broader shared vision of food security, economic opportunity, and community upliftment.
“Seeing our produce on the Spar shelf made all the hard work worth it,” said Bongani Mosete, SEF Team Leader at Deelpan’s Agri-Node.
“This is not just about lettuce, it’s our hardwork, our learning, and our pride. We’re excited to grow more and supply even more stores in the future.”
Elizabeth Ralefatane, WLG Programme Officer , added. “To walk into a store and see produce grown by our farmers sitting on the shelf labelled, packed, and ready for purchase, is a deeply moving moment. It affirms that community-based agriculture is not only viable, but valuable. This is a win for local enterprise, for food security, and for the dignity of our farmers.”
This milestone reflects Seriti Institute’s Multi-Functional Agri-Nodes, which are designed to empower small-scale farmers within communities by providing them with the tools, knowledge, and opportunities needed to thrive in a sustainable way.
