Peace Table Grapes – Empowering Women to Succeed

Peace Table Grapes is the first black majority female-owned producer of table grapes in South Africa. In 2015, Schoonbee Landgoed joined hands with them as their commercial partner and committed to a long-term mentorship programme to ensure the effective transfer of skills. Over the years, this successful venture has matured from a pure smallholder producer to a GLOBALG.A.P accredited entity with its own packhouse which enables Peace Table Grapes to offer their produce to the most exclusive markets in the world.

The initiative continues to flourish and in August 2024 expanded by 9.32 hectares of newly planted vineyards. Peace Table Grapes now cultivates 19.61 hectares of export-quality grapes. Schoonbee Landgoed is honoured to walk them as they empower their communities to succeed in Agriculture.

Planting the Seeds for Success

Schoonbee Landgoed is a producer and exporter of quality citrus and table grapes in Groblersdal, Limpopo. Within the community that we operate, Schoonbee Landgoed is a key driver of social economic change and has strategically aligned the business to ensure community enablement.

We believe that the long-term sustainability of Schoonbee Landgoed is directly linked to the socio-economic conditions of the communities around us.  Identifying vital leverage points where we can support community development and create sustainable job opportunities are key objectives for Schoonbee Landgoed.
– Ista Upton, Managing Director of Schoonbee Landgoed

In 2007, the Limpopo Department of Agriculture and Rural Development established Rahlagane Table Grapes Agricultural Primary Co-operative (RTG) to create employment in the communities near Schoonbee Landgoed. Although the initiative received mentorship from government, by 2014 it had become apparent that there was a need for a commercial partner to address challenges such as securing production capital, gaining the expertise to produce world-class table grapes, and accessing markets.

Schoonbee Landgoed took hands with RTG in 2015, establishing a new initiative called Peace Table Grapes.

Growing a Legacy

Cornelia van Zyl, Community Enablement Manager at Schoonbee Landgoed in 2018, believed that “identifying the true needs of the community is the starting point for community development. Skills transfer is the main objective of this Peace Table Grapes initiative and the basis of Schoonbee Landgoed’s involvement with the Rahlagane Cooperative.”

Schoonbee Landgoed implemented a number of strategic changes to cultivate a more cohesive production unit, improve their communications infrastructure, streamline internal communications and decision making channels, upskill the seven RTG beneficiaries on table grape production, and support to their on-site production team through weekly visits by our Senior Grapes Manager.

Investing in agricultural infrastructure was crucial to improving productivity at the labour-intensive operation. The construction of a 6000 cubic meters dam ensured the continual supply of water and allowed for time and energy previously dedicated to the daily extraction of water to be focused on cultivating the best possible crop by implementing tactical pruning and orchard sanitation practices.

Reaping the Rewards

The importance and impact of the Peace Table Grapes initiative was recognised with an award for “Women Empowerment in the Workplace” at the Gender Mainstreaming Awards in 2018. These awards give public recognition to corporates who have championed gender mainstreaming within their organisations and communities.

Following this award-winning acknowledgement, long-term planning for expanding Peace Table Grapes began in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development. With their assistance and the support of generous benefactors, Peace Table Grapes was expanded in August 2024 by 9.32 hectares.

This new land, along with 1,49 hectares of existing vineyards, were planted with Honey Pop, Red Globe and Arra Sweeties grape vines. These new vines will be carefully nurtured over the next few years until they are ready for their first harvest and the time comes to share more of Peace Table Grapes sweet success with the world.

South Africa’s grape season begins each year with Limpopo’s harvest of Early Sweet white seedless grapes in November and continues until the last grapes are harvested around the end of January.