Most farmers who take over from the previous generation inherit well-oiled operations that allow them a smooth transition, but for Sania Mokoena, the beginning was uphill.
By Maile Matsimela, Digital Editor at African Farming
In 2019 the 25-year-old returned to her family’s 360ha farm, Noko Development Trust, where she faced a choice that would define her future: either watch years of her father’s work crumble, or fight to save it. Her story shows how determination and strategic thinking transformed the operation into a thriving farming enterprise.
Sania hails from Phiring Village in the Thaba Chweu Local Municipality on the border of Mpumalanga and Limpopo. African Farming caught up with her at the recent AgricultSURE Small Scale Farmer Expo in Mpumalanga.
From Corporate Dreams To Farm Reality
Her relationship with farming wasn’t always destined. “Growing up on the farm, I didn’t have much interest. I thought farming was dirty work most of the time,” she recalls. Her aspirations lay elsewhere: “I wanted to be in the corporate world, [with] heels and hair done every day,” she admits, reflecting on how society often equates success with polished appearances.
After studying marketing, her career path seemed to pull her further away from farming, yet her job brought her back to it. “I worked for Kruger to Canyons, and everything they did had farming elements,” she explains. This exposure planted a seed of possibility: “I realised that if I could succeed in someone else’s company, why couldn’t I do it at home?”
The farm her father obtained through land reform in 1996 was in serious trouble when she joined in 2019. “The farm was almost bankrupt when I arrived, with a balance of R39 000 rand in the bank,” she says. The situation was even more precarious than it appeared, as the farm also owed money to the South African Revenue Service and had been unsuccessful in securing a Land Bank loan.
“My father explained the challenges to me. He had applied for funding, but it was unsuccessful,” Sania remembers. The financial pressure was immediate: they had to use their minimal funds to settle tax debts and turn the farm around.
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Drastic Measures And Personal Investment
Faced with imminent failure, Sania implemented radical changes. Her first decision targeted operational costs: “I reduced our workforce from 14 employees to just two. We had to tell our remaining staff that any mistakes could cost them their jobs because we simply couldn’t afford them.”
She chose a strategic crop to generate quick returns: “I decided we should plant dry beans that season and eliminate unnecessary expenses like tractor costs.”
The young farmer’s commitment went beyond operational changes. “I also used my personal savings to help my father and worked two years without taking a salary,” she reveals. This sacrifice came with its own creative solutions: “Sometimes I would sell produce and keep the money for myself since I wasn’t receiving a formal salary.”
The transformation was dramatic. “In one season of dry beans, we made R1.2 million. After that success, we never needed a loan again,” Sania says proudly.
Her father eventually repaid her personal investment, but the experience taught valuable lessons about the industry’s unforgiving nature.
Learning Through Trial And Error
Success didn’t come without costly mistakes. Sania learnt about livestock management the hard way: “I once bought a purebred Brahman bull from another province. Despite vaccinations, it died after three months of being at the farm.” The lesson was clear: “Even after three months, when I thought it had adapted to our environment, it still died.”
This led to a more strategic approach: “Now, when I buy a bull or buck from elsewhere, I make sure that it’s during the breeding season so that even if it dies later, it would have at least given me offspring. I crossbreed with Nguni cattle because their bloodline is already strong and adapted to our conditions.”
The farm operates as a diversified agricultural enterprise. A total of 120ha is arable land, serviced by seven centre pivots where they produce multiple crops including maize, lucerne, wheat, dry beans and cash crops. The remaining 240ha serve as grazing land for their substantial livestock operation.
“We currently have 210 cattle, mostly crossbreeds of Brahman and Nguni, and more than 50 pure Kalahari red goats,” Sania explains. “We use the lucerne we grow on the farm to supplement our livestock feed,” she adds, demonstrating the integrated approach that makes their operation sustainable.
The farm now employs six permanent staff and up to 400 seasonal employees during peak periods – a far cry from the desperate cost-cutting of 2019. They sell livestock at auctions and locally to communities for events like funerals and weddings, and their grain crops reach various markets.
The Harsh Realities Of Farming
Sania doesn’t romanticise agriculture. “In farming, one mistake can cost you 10 times what you initially invested, and you may never recover that loss,” she explains. “You need to be extremely careful with money management.”
As a woman farmer, she faces additional challenges. “No matter how strong you are as a woman, there are times when you need male support on a farm. It can be quite dangerous,” she says. Safety concerns affect her daily routine. “Sometimes I have to wake up at night for farm duties, but I always drive with male assistance for safety purposes.”
Recognition And New Dynamics
The turnaround surprised her family. “No one in my family thought I could be a farmer,” she admits. Today, the roles have evolved. “I refer to my father as my mentor because I’m now the farm manager, and he serves as the backbone of our operation.”
For Sania, discipline forms the foundation of agricultural success. “You need tremendous discipline in farming because one mistake can destroy everything you’ve built.” Her approach combines respect for traditional knowledge with innovative thinking, always mindful that farming requires both patience and precision.
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Community Impact And Giving Back
Beyond commercial success and the jobs created on the farm, Sania has institutionalised community support as part of their farming philosophy. “We save one tonne of dry beans annually for community giving,” she explains, describing how this has become a compulsory practice on their farm. “We package the beans into 50kg bags and distribute them to vulnerable families, schools, centres for the disabled and drop-in centres in our community.”
This systematic approach to community upliftment reflects Sania’s belief that successful farming operations have a responsibility to support those around them. The annual tonne of beans represents more than charity – it’s an investment in community relationships and a demonstration that agricultural enterprises can be engines of local development.
“We also visit schools to teach youngsters about farming and establishing backyard gardens so they can understand that farming isn’t just dirty work,” says Sania.
