From 20 to 24 April, a team of FABIans, including Bernard Slippers, Cobus Visagie, Rene Heim (University of Göttingen), Matthew Jackson, and Junior Mateya, travelled to the Eastern Cape for a field trip to maize farms supported by the Ukhanyo Farmer Development Programme (UFD). The team was hosted by Sinelizwi Fakade, founder and chairperson of UFD - an initiative dedicated to helping smallholder farmers commercialise their operations.

Over the course of the week, the team visited several farms across the region, conducting surveys to assess the presence and prevalence of pests and diseases affecting maize crops. These surveys are part of Grain Research Programme’s (GRP) broader efforts to understand the on-the-ground challenges facing farmers and generate data to help inform effective management strategies.

A highlight of the trip was a dedicated day spent with UFD mentors, during which the team introduced and discussed the Information Hub - a platform designed to centralise data capturing and sharing. Discussions focused on how the Information Hub can be used to facilitate the structured capturing of pest and disease observations directly from farms, creating a valuable feedback loop between researchers and the farming community.

The visit also opened the door to conversations about future collaborations and partnerships. Central to these discussions was the shared ambition to co-develop next-generation tools that place timely, accessible, and actionable information in the hands of farmers - empowering them to make informed decisions that protect their crops and livelihoods.

The team returned from the Eastern Cape energised by the commitment and passion of the UFD community and looks forward to building on the connections made during this visit. Partnerships like this one are central to FABI’s mission of translating science into real-world impact for South African agriculture.