Self-made female farmers Welile Gumede, director of Azowel Projects, and Mbali Nwoko, CEO of Green Terrace, built their agribusinesses from scratch, with no farming knowledge and little funding. They shared their inspirational journeys in a webinar on 22 August, hosted by Livestock Wealth. African Farming’s Robyn Joubert attended.
The weak La Niña cycle forecast for South African weather this season should mean well-timed and moderate rainfall in the coming months. This is a favourable sign for crop farmers who start planting their summer crops this month. Fresh-produce farmers and pasture- and veld-based livestock farmers will also benefit from decent rain at the right time in the coming months. Beef cattle farmers who want to calve into productive veld grazing should be preparing for the upcoming breeding season, checking cow body condition scores and testing bulls.
The weak La Niña cycle forecast for South African weather this season should mean well-timed and moderate rainfall in the coming months. This is a favourable sign for crop farmers who start planting their summer crops this month. Fresh-produce farmers and pasture- and veld-based livestock farmers will also benefit from decent rain at the right time in the coming months. Beef cattle farmers who want to calve into productive veld grazing should be preparing for the upcoming breeding season, checking cow body condition scores and testing bulls.
Andile Matukane took farming to the rooftops in a move that meant she could enjoy the buzz of city life while she realised her farming dreams. She grows fresh green produce on the roof of one of Africa’s largest shopping malls in Pretoria. Peter Mashala visited her there.
The political environment of the early eighties made it unthinkable for a young black man born in Mohlakeng, Randfontein to entertain any ideas of becoming a commercial farmer. But for David Mthombeni, founder of Gegana Farming, becoming a commercial farmer was a dream worth pursuing despite all the hurdles he faced. Indeed, David failed many times during his agricultural career, but he refused to give up. Now, at 56, David runs a mixed farming enterprise of broilers, cattle, small stock and grains on three farms in Mpumalanga spread over 2 162ha in Greylingstad, Standerton, and Evander. David spoke to Zolani Sinxo about the choices he has made in his life that brought him to where he is today.
In the 23 years since Thabang Tsephe began his self-funded dairy farming journey, he has come a long way. Thabang’s son, Phutheho, now farms with his dad. This father-and-son team have learned, and continue to learn, sometimes hard, but always valuable, lessons they are happy to share with other developing black farmers. Lloyd Phillips visited them.
Futeng Mothiane farmed vegetables in Qwaqwa for years before he moved with his family to Kaalfontein Farm in the Free State’s Heilbron district in 2012. On Kaalfontein, Futeng had to make a rapid change from vegetables to livestock. He learnt new skills from the Sernick development programme and took a gamble that kickstarted the family’s sheep operation and set him and his son, Lengau, on a path to building generational wealth. Peter Mashala spoke to the Mothianes on their farm.
James Mothupi believes his small-scale vegetable operation in the Dertig community near Hammanskraal will give him a decent future in his retirement and help solve the community’s problems of hunger, unemployment and poverty. Peter Mashala spoke to James about growing food, starting a farming business and planting the seeds of hope in Dertig.
Entrepreneur and innovator Ntuthuko Shezi is the founder and CEO of Livestock Wealth, a fintech company with an investment platform that offers crop and livestock investment opportunities to people who are not farmers, but like the idea of being part of a farming enterprise. Livestock Wealth also has a funding model to help farmers who need working capital for their expansion projects. Shezi talks to Peter Mashala about wealth creation through agricultural investment and bringing farming closer to communities at home and abroad.
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