Tsolo Agriculture and Rural Development Institute (“TARDI”), previsuosly Tsolo College of Agriculture, is situated in Mhlontlo Local Municipality, a rural municipality with a population of about a 194 000 people, that falls under one of the larger districts in the Eastern Cape. The OR Tambo District Municipality has an area size of 12 096 km2 and is a Category C municipality located in the east of the coastline in Eastern Cape Province. It is bordered by the Alfred Nzo District Municipality to the north, the Joe Gqabi District Municipality to the north-west, the Amathole District Municipality to the south-west, and the Chris Hani District Municipality to the west. The municipality is formed by five local municipalities: King Sabata Dalindyebo, Nyandeni, Mhlontlo, Port St Johns and Ingquza Hill. It covers about 80% of what used to be marginalised homeland in the Transkei, contributing 21% of the 7 010 00 overall population of Eastern Cape.