Dedicated mentorship helps achieve maize success
David Matobako, an ambitious young farmer, is proving that agricultural reform is not an idle dream. Susan Botes-Marais visited him on his Free State farm and saw how a sound partnership is making his dream of commercial grain farming come to life.
From manual labourer to managing partner
Erik Phinallephe (55) was born and raised in Stellenbosch and started working as a general farm labourer when he was only 12.
The success of People First Piggery co-operative
Hard work and tenacity have turned a tiny enterprise into a flourishing commercial operation.
The basics of hands-on dairy training
Your Future Dairy Training offers aspiring farmers hands-on and practical training.
From cashier to award-winning beef farmer
Pinky Buthelezi never dreamt that leaving rural KwaZulu-Natal for Gauteng in 2000 would result in her receiving the ARC’s 2013 Gauteng Emerging Beef Farmer award. Mike Burgess visited her on Leeuwfontein near Nigel to learn how she developed from cashier to farmer.
Mentoring without interfering breeds success
SA Stud Book-Farmer’s Weekly 2014 Mentor of the Year, Pat Hobbs, is highly respected among the Nguni breeders’ community – not only for producing top quality stud cattle, but for his willingness to assist inexperienced Nguni breeders with advice gained through years of farming. Grant Hollins travelled to the Eastern Cape to learn more about Pat’s breeding and mentoring skills.
Where have all the young people gone?
Agri science student Lisa Coetzee was one of only two South Africans chosen to attend the Youth Ag Summit in Canada in 2013. Building on her experiences there, she has formed an organisation dedicated to youth in agriculture. Annelie Coleman spoke to her.
Finding healing and success on a Karoo farm
Despite lacking farming experience, Carole Kirkwood Pretorius converted a rundown Karoo farm into a small but commercially viable enterprise in only six years.
Restaurant manager turns commercial farmer
Through dedication and hard work, William Matasane of Senekal in the Free State has changed from being a restaurant manager to an award-winning commercial farmer in less than 10 years. Peter Mashala visited him on his farm Keurfontein.
Small-scale ostrich farming success
Martin Fick and Adriaan Olivier led a group of ostrich farmers in the Eastern Cape to success.
Bee farming in Friemersheim
A honey bee farming initiative started by Reginald and Irma Jacobus in Friemersheim has brought hope to this rural town by helping to stem the tide of unemployment and poverty. Denene Erasmus reports.
Community opts for a sustainable livelihood
The Onverwacht community, with support from Food and Trees for Africa, an international NGO, has opted for a more sustainable solution than RDP housing to improve their lives. Peter Mashala reports.
