By: Sizakele Nduli
Matsheketsheke Muofhe, 27, is a perfect example of the powerful impact of how one’s environment influences you. The founder of a thriving 12ha farm in Niani, Ha Gumbu in Limpopo, grew up in a community where every household had a small farm in their backyard. This fuelled her desire to establish her enterprise, Muofhe Farming Projects. “I grew up in an area where the community does small-scale farming for survival.
Every household would have a plantation in their backyard and keep some livestock; our family as well. That’s what led me to have an interest in farming,” Muofhe explained. She told Vutivi News that although she did not complete her Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting, she gathered enough knowledge in business through her interactions with other students. It was then that she kickstarted her business in 2019.
The farm specialises in crops such as okra, cabbage, butternut and tomatoes. She said that her choice of crops was based on the knowledge and experience she had gained from working with them. “As we have limited funds, we had to limit loss. So, the focus is directed on crops that we know of. Okra, cabbage, and butternut are popular crops [in] the community we farm in, so it becomes easy to maintain them and produce a good quality yield because of experience,” Muofhe said.
The resourceful and determined business owner has developed innovative and cost-effective farming techniques to overcome financial constraints and maximise efficiency. “Well, we utilise a drip irrigation system, we find it effective. Also, it’s not costly as opposed to other irrigation methods. “We administer some fertiliser and chemicals through a gas cylinder which we designed ourselves, saving money as opposed to utilising big farming machinery which we currently cannot afford. In the absence of expensive machines, we innovate a way,” she added.
Muofhe mentioned that aside from the unpredictable weather which often crippled farmers, and the recent devastation caused by black frost on her crops, her primary challenge was insufficient capital due to the high costs associated with farming. However, she remains optimistic about the future. “We intend to expand and be part of the entire value chain of agriculture. We intend to acquire more land, produce different crops, manufacture chemicals and fertilisers, and sell agricultural products/implements. We intend to play a leading role in agriculture in Africa and the diaspora. The plans are just too big, we are driven by ambitions,” she said.
Muofhe takes pride in creating employment through her farming enterprise. She currently employs four full-time workers and hires more than 10 additional workers weekly during harvest times. Thanks to her efforts, many community members can now put bread on the table. And on starting a venture in agriculture, Muofhe stresses the importance of taking the initiative and not waiting for funding to start.
“Just start. Don’t wait to get funding. Work with what you have, even if it means starting small. Agriculture needs patience, it is not a quick money-making scheme. Interact as much as you can with other farmers, that way, you will be knowledgeable and have access to valuable information that can assist in making life as a farmer easy.”
