About Us

Impumelelo Agribusiness Solutions is a privately black owned company founded in early 2014. We aim to provide agribusiness solutions to the agricultural sector within South Africa and the SADC region.

Our team has extensive combined experience of over 30 years in sectors including: agricultural food safety, quality and phytosanitary inspection services, quality management systems (QMS), agricultural policy framework, agricultural production systems, postharvest science and technologies, and agribusiness processes.

Our entrenched knowledge and expertise in inspection services and quality management systems (QMS) will assist government to gain quality control of all agricultural imports and locally produced products and thus protecting our local consumers and industries by ensuring compliance to quality standards and phytosanitary policies.

We also strive to become a partner of choice to the government in successfully implementing its strategic initiatives targeted at improving the sustainable likelihoods of the agricultural rural communities and small holder farmers (emerging). We intend to achieve this by providing a vast range of specific and targeted training initiatives; monitoring and evaluating government funded agricultural projects; and on-farm mentoring of the small holder farmers (including extension officials) to ensure valuable return on investments by government and sustainability of the developed agribusinesses beyond the government funding.

Vision

To be a leader in service excellence and an advocate for superior quality and safe agricultural food products.

Mission

To become an agency of choice in implementing the quality and phytosanitary control systems on regulated local and imported agricultural products entering the South African ports and a competent partner I human capital development in areas of food safety, postharvest quality preservation through agro-processing and other technologies, and quality inspection.

VALUES

Innovation
Adaptability
Service Excellence
Commitment
Authenticity

LEVEL 3 BBBEE STATUS

Meet Our Team

Director
Dr. Mduduzi Ngcobo
BSc Crop Science (University of KwaZulu Natal); MSc in Agriculture Horticultural Science (Stellenbosch University); PhD Agricultural in Postharvest Technology (Stellenbosch University)

Dr Mduduzi Ngcobo is the founding member and an owner of the Impumelelo Agribusiness Solutions.
(Read More...)

He has worked for Dole South Africa in different technical positions and although based in South Africa, also worked in Namibia and Egypt as a Table Grapes Assistant Technical Manager.
Dr. Ngcobo also held the Research & Innovation Manager position at the South African Perishable Products Export Control Board (PPECB).

He has first-hand experience in the South African postharvest innovation system and served on the Management Board of the South African Postharvest Innovation (PHI) programme. He has published peer-reviewed articles in international journals on various aspects of packaging and postharvest quality management of fresh produce. Dr. Ngcobo is also serving as an external examiner for different postharvest module at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), and he also examines both Msc and PhD theses for the Stellenbosch University. He is an appointed member of the Postharvest Technical Advisory Committee (PHTAC) for HortgroSCIENCE , which is a deciduous fruit industry association responsible for all research and technical matters related for the deciduous fruit industry in South Africa.

Dr. Ngcobo brings over 10 years’ experience and advanced in-depth knowledge of the whole supply chain, from production (on farm level) through the different segments of the agricultural products supply chain.

Technical Teams - Inspection Teams
Ms Asanda Nkosi
National Diploma in Agriculture (Lowveld College of Agriculture)

For many years, Miss Nkosi has worked as a contract inspector at the PPECB. As a quality inspector, Miss Nkosi has vast exposure in working with products including dried fruits; canned products and fresh fruits such as avocado; litchi; citrus and others.
Ms Sindisiwe Lubisi
National Diploma in Agriculture (Tshwane University of Technology)

Miss Lubisi's work experience at the PPECB has given her export of working with canned and processed products.
Mr Ncobile Maseko
National Diploma in Agriculture (Lowveld College of Agriculture)

Mr Maseko has an extensive work experience as an inspector. Mr Maseko has worked for the PPECB and has experience in working with products such as the juices, canned fruits, dried fruits, macadamia nuts and fresh fruits including avocado and litchis.

 
 

POLICY Development

insepction
  • Food Safety and Phytosanity Protocols
  • Postharvest Handling of Agricultural Products
  • Inspection Services

Inspection Services

insepction
  • Quality Inspection Services (i.e. grading and quality control).
  • Quality Management Systems
  • Cold Chain Management Systems
  • Cold Chain Management, including postharvest packaging of agricultural products

TRAINING Initiatives

insepction
  • Food safety
  • Postharvest handling of agricultural products (i.e. postharvest qulaity preservation techonologies e.g. cold chain and termperature management)
  • Market requirement on quality, packaging and labeling policy requirements
  • Orchard management

Project Management

insepction
  • Project Governance
  • Agricultural project proposal evaluation for funding
  • Agricultural projects relating to getting Emerging farmers and rural communities into mainstream agricultural trade
  • Monitoring and Evaluating progress on government funded agricultural initiatives for sustainable livelihoods of emerging farmers and rural communities

AGRIBUSINESS PROCESSES

insepction
  • FBO registrations
  • Food safety requirements
  • Traceability requirements
  • Quality standards
  • Market requirements
  • Logistical / Value Chain
  • Freight Forwarding

Our valued Partners

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES

 
Click Here To See the Appointment Letter From The Government

RURAL DEVELOPMENT & LAND REFORM

Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency

Hands of Harvest

Impumelelo Agribusiness Solutions is proud to present the Hands of Harvest feasibility study. The study was produced for the Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency to evaluate the potential investment of an International Fresh Produce Market (2016).

Hand of Harvest

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What areas of expertise does Impumelelo Agribusiness Solutions provide?
A : We provide over 30 years of combined experience in various sectors including: agricultural food safety, quality and phytosanitary inspection services, quality management systems (QMS), agricultural policy framework, agricultural production systems, postharvest science and technologies, and agribusiness processes, our team is more than capable of doing the inspections for the stipulated regulated products.

Our entrenched knowledge and expertise in inspection services and quality management systems (QMS) will assist us in successfully implementing the mandate. As part of our team we have both food scientists; food technologists and environmentalists.
Q: When was Impumelelo Agribusiness Solutions appointed the assigneeship from the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF)?
A : The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries appointed the asigneeship to Impumelelo Agribusiness Solutions on 9 December 2016
Q: When will the first inspections start?
A : Inspections are expected to commence, after engagements with respective industries. Engagements with industries are envisaged to commence on 22 February 2017.
Q: What will a typical inspection look like?
A : Inspection processes differ for each processed product. Each product will be tested against its individual guidelines set out in the regulations. Products that conform to these quality standard will be deemed fit (‘passed’) for quality acceptance.
Q: Which foods are classified as processed?
A : According to FAO (1997), “Agro-processing industry is a subset of manufacturing that processes raw materials and intermediate products derived from the agricultural sector. Agro-processing thus means transforming products that originate from agriculture, forestry and fisheries.” The Standard Industrial Classification also categorises the following eleven divisions under the agro-processing industry: food, beverages, paper and paper products, wood and wood products, textiles, wearing apparel, furniture, tobacco, rubber products, footwear and leather and leather products.

For additional information please click on this link: www.daff.gov.za
Q: Which processed foods will Impumelelo Agribusiness Solutions inspect?
A : The processed products include: fruit juices and drinks, frozen fruit and vegetables, jam, jelly & marmalade, rooibos, honey, table olives, fat spreads, mayonnaise & salad dressings and vinegar.
The canned processed products include: canned pasta, canned mushrooms, canned fruit and canned vegetables.
In addition, we will inspect any other processed products and canned processed products for which regulations may be promulgated.
Q: Will you set up offices at various ports?
A : Yes, in order to effectively deliver to our mandate, we seek to open regional and port offices as proposed by the industries we serve in various regions.

WE'D LOVE To hear from you

Physical Address:
Unit 5, 36 Van Rensburg,
Nelspruit, 1200
Tel: +27 13 752 2275 / 2144
Physical Address:
Unit 1 Ground Floor, Cambridge Office Park
5 Bauhinia Street
Centurion, 0169
Tel: +27 12 665 2403 /2475
Physical Address:
Suite 2, 295 Florida Road
Morningside
Durban, 4001
Postal Address:
P O Box 3585
Nelspruit, 1200
Fax to Email: 0865136166

How can we help you?