Agriculture is vital for rural development in Africa, including South Africa. However, it faces challenges such as ensuring food security, adapting to climate change, and reducing emissions. Since 2002, Africa Harvest has been operating in South Africa and prioritizes sustainable agro-based development and partnerships. As part of its five-year strategic plan (2023–2027), Africa Harvest aims to reach 10 million beneficiaries in East Africa, West Africa, the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and Central African countries through agricultural programs that increase incomes, food and nutrition security.

To promote rural transformation, Africa Harvest has partnered with various institutions, including the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), and the University of Pretoria. Collaborative projects include the Africa Bio-fortified Sorghum initiative. Africa Harvest has also explored opportunities in KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo. A significant partnership has been established with the Eastern Cape Rural Development Agency (ECRDA) in the Eastern Cape Province, focusing on enhancing the sustainability of agricultural investments through Rural Enterprise Development (RED) Hubs and a proposed bio-fuel plant in Cradock.

After an exploratory meeting in August 2016, Africa Harvest conducted a technical mission in November 2016 to evaluate collaboration opportunities. This partnership aims to ensure the long-term sustainability of RED Hubs and develop a roadmap for commercial sorghum production to support the bio-fuel plant. Africa Harvest intends to leverage its expertise in sorghum commercialization to enhance agricultural investments and promote rural economic autonomy.

The RED Hubs approach, adopted by the ECRDA since 2014, seeks to transform the rural economy of the Eastern Cape by utilizing agro-processing opportunities in maize, sorghum, and dairy. With more than two decades of experience in agricultural development, Africa Harvest has successfully commercialized sorghum in Eastern Africa, benefiting over one million smallholder farmers through improved technologies, better market access, and reduced post-harvest losses.