In Mpumalanga’s Bushbuckridge Local Municipality, along the R536 road near the iconic Paul Kruger Gate, unfolds the remarkable story of Nkhensani Dlamini.
By Maile Matsimela, Digital Editor at African Farming
She is a former finance professional who traded corporate boardrooms for fertile soil, creating ND Holdings, a thriving organic farm that produces fresh, naturally grown vegetables and herbs free from chemicals.
Nkhensani’s journey into organic farming wasn’t conventional. After leaving the corporate environment in 2012, she joined a family farm where she assisted with admin work. The farming space presented her with an opportunity to work with a German development agency known as German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) on a farmer development programme. While she was there, she learnt about other viable alternatives to chemical-dependent agriculture and met other farmers who were successfully implementing these methods.
“One day at the family farm, I had an ‘aha’ moment when I noticed birds dying after our family farm used a powerful pesticide,” Nkhensani told African Farming at her exhibition table during the AgricultSURE Small Scale Farmer Expo held at Mbombela Stadium in Mpumalanga recently. This environmental wake-up call sparked her curiosity about sustainable, chemical-free farming methods and set her on a path towards organic agriculture.
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ND Holdings: Where Tradition Meets Innovation
In 2018, she started her farming operation, which operates under a Participatory Guarantee System (PGS), a peer-reviewed certification supporting small-scale organic farmers. This system involves regular monitoring by fellow farmers, ensuring compliance while providing valuable learning opportunities and building a network of like-minded agricultural practitioners.
Operating on a smallholding farm of just under six hectares in Cork Village, Mkhuhlu, Nkhensani cultivates about one hectare with an impressive variety of vegetables and herbs. Her crops include vegetables such as spinach, garlic, spring onions, kale, baby cabbages and butternut. She grows herbs such as mint, parsley, rosemary and various other aromatic herbs that provide health benefits and culinary value. What makes ND Holdings unique is its customer-driven approach. Local chefs regularly visit the farm and suggest specific plants they require for their menus, creating a collaborative relationship between producer and consumer.
Natural Pest Management
Nkhensani’s farming methods are rooted in natural principles and zero synthetic inputs. Instead of reaching for chemical pesticides, she uses clever intercropping strategies such as planting pungent herbs like spring onions and garlic, as well as marigold flowers, to naturally repel pests. When intervention is needed, she creates homemade remedies such as garlic and chilli sprays, or uses milk and water solutions to handle fungal diseases.
Understanding that timing is everything in organic farming, Nkhensani ensures crops are planted seasonally to reduce vulnerability to pests and environmental stressors. She avoids planting temperature-sensitive crops like cabbage during hotter months, working with nature rather than against it.
Her farming operates on the principle of maintaining balance by returning nutrients to the soil after taking crops out. She produces her own compost on site.
However, she acknowledges that farming without conventional pesticides can be challenging. “Pests like the diamond moth can devastate crops quickly, and organic remedies often require more effort.” However, her commitment to chemical-free farming keeps her innovating with natural solutions.
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Market And Pricing
Organic produce typically costs more because of the time and effort involved in production. Nkhensani says educating consumers about the value proposition, healthier food, environmental benefits and superior taste has been an ongoing effort. Fortunately, her loyal customer base recognises and appreciates the quality difference. She also constantly educates herself, experimenting with natural remedies, reading farming manuals and attending local farmer programmes. “Every day is a learning opportunity,” she notes.
Local lodges and chefs form the core of her customer base. Surplus produce is distributed through Freshlinq Fresh Produce Market in Nelspruit, extending her reach to broader markets while maintaining her quality standards.
Also read: Working with nature rather than against it – regenerative farming for a sustainable future
Beyond commercial sales, Nkhensani promotes healthy eating and herb cultivation within the wider community, educating residents about the health benefits of organic produce and herbs. She plans to expand her farm and increase crop variety while exploring opportunities to teach other farmers in her region about organic farming methods. Her goal is to create a ripple effect of sustainable agriculture throughout the area.
“I’m passionate about advocating for organic farming methods and building a broader network of like-minded farmers in the area,” she says.
