The agricultural industry is inclusive, and it affects the lives of people on a daily basis. We can describe it as the art and science of cultivating the soil, growing crops, and raising livestock. This is the story of Mr Aifheli Manwatha who was born and raised in the exquisite village of Muduluni in Venda. In his school years, he was an accomplished multi-talented athlete who was too passionate about marathons, boxing and soccer.
It was impossible for me to avoid the fact that I was born to be a farmer
In the years following graduation from college, he worked on a variety of projects and operations roles. Aifheli gained basic and useful farming skills through the assistance of his grandfather, who owned a farm at the time, and his father who owned cows. The experience of growing up in Limpopo also contributed to the knowledge and love that he has for farming today.
While he could have been anything on this planet, farming was the one thing he could never escape. "It was impossible for me to avoid the fact that I was born to be a farmer." he says. He never really thought that farming would be his life, until he met Mr. Nedzanani, an agent at Johannesburg Fresh Produce who is now a friend. He received comprehensive guidance on both subsistence and commercial farming from his uncle, who is also a farmer. That was the moment when he decided to start his own farming business. It took him six months to decide to follow this cause.
"My uncle was always supportive to the point that he gave me a piece of land as a gift. He saw my potential and believed in me." he told us. He decided then that it was time to start farming and develop it to a commercial level. He resigned from his day job in 2020 to follow his true passion, farming."Of course, there were challenges, such as the lack of capital and difficulty in finding workers for the farm." However, despite lacking capital, he continued on with the project. He used his salary and loans from family and friends to fund the project.
My uncle was always supportive to the point that he gave me a piece of land as a gift. He saw my potential and believed in me
It takes a lot of effort, patience and knowledge of techical processes to succeed in farming. Amongst the challenges he had to face was the fact that he had to start a business from scratch. As a result of networking with other farmers in different provinces, including the Department of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries in Makhado local Municipality and the National Department of Agriculture in Pretoria, he was able to overcome the challenges he faced and carry on farming. After all the challenges, seeing his farm perform so well was really fascinating to him. It was then that he planted garlic, harvested it and distributed it for the very first time. This was the first time he received money through selling his own products. Aifheli's first stock was received by Johannesburg Fresh Produce. He later received a call from Durban Fresh Produce to buy his garlic. "Today I am so proud of myself because I even expanded my project. I started a fruit tree nursery and orchard in Mooilande."
Aifheli believes agriculture is a great industry to work in since it contributes up to 12.2% of the country's GDP. Currently, around 792 000 people are employed in the agricultural sector, and the industry contributes 12.2% to our country's GDP. Manwatha recommends the following strategies for growing the economy:
- Develop a more engaging environment for agriculture.
- Increase the number of agricultural skills.
- Moving from subsistence farming to commercial farming.
- Providing opportunities for our communities to participate in farming.
- Incorporate agriculture practicals in school curriculum.
- The introduction of Agro-processing, providing ready-made food for consumption.
- Local produce in shops and supermarkets.
- Establish a processing industry.
Today I am so proud of myself because I even expanded my project. I started a fruit tree nursery and orchard in Mooilande
In order for our nation to prosper and have healthy and nutritious bodies, we need fresh local food from within our communities and farms. Let's encourage young people to get involved in farming and agriculture.
The advice he gives to those who wish to become farmers is to start from the bottom, by planting. By doing this, he believes that they will learn the essence of agriculture, and later on they will be able to look for ways to improve farming and move to commercial agriculture. Additionally, he recommends the attendance of agricultural seminars and meetings to broaden their knowledge. In order to solve the country's hunger problems, they should always remember that their goal is to increase food availability and sustainability, which means that they should not only have the will to farm, but also love to improve the lives of others.
