Trained as a microbiologist, Prudence Thuli Mokwene from Soshanguve didn’t set out to become a poultry farmer, but once she did, the owner of RBKM Chickens committed to it with the same focus and determination that had defined her career in science. At the heart of it all is Mokwene’s conviction that success is built step by step – by showing up every day, asking questions and refusing to give up when things get tough. She spoke to Melinda Shaw.
1. What motivated you to leave science for poultry farming?
I started off as a microbiologist at a fast-moving consumer goods company – testing food samples for pathogens such as salmonella and listeria and other microorganisms that can cause illness if consumed. I went straight from university into this first job where I worked in the lab for 11 years without any promotion. I felt I was stagnating, so started researching other opportunities in my professional field. One day I found an article online that mentioned that South Africa was importing chicken because local production was not enough, and it noted that South Africans didn’t like this “tasteless” imported chicken. This got me thinking, and I saw the gap to play a role in protecting our food security by producing affordable, accessible local chicken according to our people’s taste. As for microbiology, I still consult sometimes, but that has become the side-hustle – I am a fulltime poultry farmer now.
2. How did you find and build your early market – and what tools or strategies have worked best for you?
I started advertising my business using my whatsapp profile – it was 2020, during covid and the only platform we had was social media! I advertised on my status, and it had some disadvantages – yes, I had most of my colleagues and also my contacts buying from me, but it meant that at work they thought that I was now only focusing on farming and not on my work….
So I had to establish the brand in a way that customers could find me to order chicken without me having to post on my socials.
I sold directly to colleagues after work, and I would do direct-to-consumer marketing; I relied heavily on word of mouth, and I created a website where customers could view my product and add their orders and details. I found whatsapp to be an ideal platform for me because I could post my catalogue there, and have immediate communication with potential customers.
3. What role did formal education and mentorship play in helping you scale the business?
The business-administration studies really helped me to transform my business from a hobby to a serious business, and also enabled me to mentor other upcoming farmers and to guide them so that they do not make the same mistakes I made.
My educational background lets me smooth the road for others and share the skills and tools i’ve mastered that has allowed me to prosper in this industry. I know just how demoralising it can be to think that what you’re busy with is not working. It makes all the difference if you have a mentor in your corner that you can call on, along with skills that you have acquired along the way, so that you can become the best you can be.
4. How did your scientific background influence your approach to farming, especially in understanding chicken rearing and health?
After failing initially, I returned to the drawing board and applied my research skills to understand why it hadn’t worked. I sought to understand the full cycle from a day-old chick to a mature bird so that I could improve my farming techniques. I could draw on my microbiology experience, treating my farm like a laboratory where the focus was very strongly on preventing contamination.
My knowledge of pathogen control has been useful for ensuring biosecurity and disease control, while my analytical data-driven skills are applied to increase efficiency. I analyse all production data, tracking weight and managing feed ratios to reduce costs.
Applying analytical skills helped me to diversify into vegetable farming, so I now also produce spinach and cabbage to stabilise cash flow when chicken farming faces unpredictability. I believe risk has to be managed as if you are a professional strategist, and by blending my microbiology knowledge with my businessmanagement studies I have transformed my poultry operation from a hobby to a thriving scientifically managed enterprise.
5. How did you find and build your early market – and what tools or strategies have worked best for you?
I started advertising my business using my whatsapp profile – it was 2020, during covid and the only platform we had was social media! I advertised on my status, and it had some disadvantages – yes, I had most of my colleagues and also my contacts buying from me, but it meant that at work they thought that I was now only focusing on farming and not on my work….
So I had to establish the brand in a way that customers could find me to order chicken without me having to post on my socials.
I sold directly to colleagues after work, and I would do direct-to consumer marketing; I relied heavily on word of mouth, and I created a website where customers could view my product and add their orders and details.
I found whatsapp to be an ideal platform for me because I could post my catalogue there, and have immediate communication with potential customers.
6. What role did formal education and mentorship play in helping you scale the business?
The business-administration studies really helped me to transform my business from a hobby to a serious business, and also enabled me to mentor other upcoming farmers and to guide them so that they do not make the same mistakes I made.
My educational background lets me smooth the road for others and share the skills and tools i’ve mastered that has allowed me to prosper in this industry. I know just how demoralising it can be to think that what you’re busy with is not working.
It makes all the difference if you have a mentor in your corner that you can call on, along with skills that you have acquired along the way, so that you can become the best you can be.
7. Can you walk us through how you secured funding, access to land and support from the likes of nyda and the department of agriculture?
As I mentioned my uncle had been part of the doa’s fpsu programme, and he guided me in accessing government support. My first funding was from the national youth development agency (nyda). I applied online during covid, and I won’t lie, it required a lot of perseverance and many followups! But in the end they allocated me r50 000 and with that funding I extended my chicken houses.
From there I got assistance from the doa by way of feed and day-old chicks, which led to my plan to apply to lease a doa farm. I was lucky in that it was not a hassle and I was allocated a farm right away – the 21ha where we are based now.
I believe I was helped so fast because I took great care to comply with all their requirements and made sure I had all the documentation they asked for.
I participated in a doa programme whereby we raised chickens as contract growers, and when they were mature the department’s team would collect them for processing at an abattoir in winterveld and distribute the meat to the market.
Then I got further funding of around r100 000 from nyda after motivating that I needed to reduce some of my production costs. This enabled me to buy an incubator to incubate my own eggs, and a mobile freezer to ensure product could be delivered without any worries about temperature control.
8. What practical advice would you give other female entrepreneurs about navigating funding and land access challenges in agriculture?
Compliance is number one. Make sure that all the paperwork they require is presented with your application. If you don’t have it, get help; if there is a contact person supplied to assist with applications, contact them and have an informational meeting where they can give you advice on exactly what is needed to help you to qualify for land.
9. Which breed to you prefer and where do you source your day-old chicks?
I buy my docs from a reliable supplier with whom i’ve worked since 2020. My birds are ross 308, which I like because they offer consistently high-quality meat; they adapt easily within the environment and they are easy to maintain and manage.
They’re excellent in feed-conversion ratio, which then translates to cost effectiveness and profitability.
10. As a woman in a male-dominated industry, what have been your biggest challenges and proudest achievements – and how do you stay motivated?
For me, when I entered this industry it was about complementing what we already had in south africa and enhancing that – local chicken production rather than imports. I wanted to play a role in bringing it back home, making sure I produce tasty chicken that the local community loves on their table.
For me it was not about competition, it was about complementing and learning from people who have been in the industry for the longest time. I’m proud that I myself could become a role model for upcoming farmers.
I believe that it is due to the skills I have acquired over my career that I was able to succeed in this complex environment.
How I stay motivated?
I communicate with people, I network with others in my profession, I try to constantly do better and I practice resilience at all times. You have to be willing to learn from others.
It’s my mission to stay focused on my business, to stay in my lane, not competing with anyone, ensuring I achieve my goal – not trying to impress anybody but doing it for myself and making sure I am inspiring others.
Source: Poultry Bulletin (Issue 31) April/May 2026
Also read:
Poultry technology trends 2026 – bird flu vaccination, smart farming tools & industry insights
Daybreak retrenchments: Poultry giant fights for survival
WATCH | Pasture-based poultry system keeps chickens moving and thriving
