Some of the best business lessons Aviwe Gxotiwe ever learnt was while trading milk, vegetables and firewood off the back of his farm bakkie in the former homeland of Ciskei. Often selling to Pakistani and Somali traders, Aviwe soon learnt to respect the work ethic and business skill of these immigrant businesspeople. Today this 33-year-old farmer applies those same lessons to own business – the 2 300 ha farm Soutvleij in the Somerset East district of the Eastern Cape. With 150ha of irrigation that produces lucerne for both local dairy farmers and his own flock of 2 000 wool Merinos, Aviwe has already achieved significant success. Now a partnership with the agribusiness Humansdorp Coop promises to provide him with the scale to take his business to the next level.