Her agricultural journey began in earnest in 2020, when she decided to follow in her late mother’s footsteps. Using an inheritance from her mother, and with the support of her father, she worked tirelessly to build a viable business with a good reputation.
“My father has been a pillar of strength ever since I started this project [by] offering words of wisdom and managerial expertise, which I am always able to use for improving my business operations.”
Today, Ndlovukazi Agriculture Multipurpose is a thriving smallholder farm. The name, Ndlovukazi, has special meaning to her. In Zulu, ‘Ndlovukazi’ means ‘queen mother’ or the ‘mother of the king’, and to her this was a way to pay tribute to her mother.
“Agriculture has always fascinated my mother and I, but I only started my business shortly after my mother passed away due to [COVID-19]. I was going through a difficult time grieving my mother’s passing, but found that working with the soil brought healing and allowed me to grieve in a safe space,” she explains.
Hlengwa produces sugar beans and white maize, as well as organic vegetables such as cabbage, spinach and butternut, on her farm.
“There are so many moving parts [when it comes to farming]. As a farmer, you are a juggler. You are doing a bit of everything: conventional agriculture, organic production, marketing and then also the business side of farming. Timing is crucial and everything needs to work together.”
She adds that farming is not for the faint-hearted.
“It takes hard work, dedication and passion. One must be able to adapt to changing circumstances.”
She credits her team of staff and says they are the true gems of the company.
“They work tirelessly to ensure the company’s growth.”
In addition to her farm work, she also focuses on giving back to her community by implementing several community development initiatives such as nutrition programmes, gardening initiatives, and promoting farming as a fashionable career choice.
“We offer in-service training to young people as well as agriculture business development workshops and training to individuals so that they also can develop, grow and become stewards of their own agricultural journeys.”
She adds that they contribute to the local economy through the production of quality, affordable food, but also by investing in a more skilled workforce and empowering people living with disabilities by offering job security.
She uses social media not only to show what is happening on the farm, but to motivate herself by posting about her achievements. She uses WhatsApp for easy communication with other like-minded people and clients.
Dual-market strategy
Ndlovukazi has a dual-market strategy. On the one side, the operation focuses on formal markets, such as supermarkets. This, Hlengwa says, teaches discipline.
“The formal markets want consistent supply and you must be organised and dedicated to meet those demands.”
The operation also, however, focuses on supplying fresh produce and maize directly to the local community.
“We are privileged that we do not have to push [the sales of] our white maize. The demand is high in the community for quality white maize. In addition, the informal market offers us the opportunity to push our brand.”
Challenges
But because agriculture is so interlinked with nature and dependent on weather, not everything always work out as planned.
“In 2022, we faced a massive setback due to adverse weather conditions and almost lost our entire crop. Our production plan was placed on hold. We had to rethink our plans. We then devised a strategy to decrease costs by producing our own seedlings and planting more crops that had a lower risk of being affected by the weather,” she explains.
There are other challenges as well. She points out that current financial constraints are limiting the business’s expansion, but that there are plans to address this to facilitate growth.
“Access to additional finances is crucial. To farm is expensive, and to grow a business [that can] truly be seen as a commercial enterprise, [the business needs] to grow and expand.”
Hlengwa is committed to increasing production on the farm and aims to double the size of the operation within the next three to five years. She also plans to diversify the farming enterprise and incorporate livestock to create a more sustainable and resilient agribusiness. She adds that her vertical expansion plan focuses on value-adding.
“[I] want to process [the produce I produce]. This will add value to the brand and create more opportunities for the business and the community.”
Access to land is another major challenge. At the moment, she has access to 10,5ha of land. When she started, she produced on 1ha. At the moment, she is producing on 3ha. She hopes to be producing on the full 10ha by the end of the year.
“But access to land currently is very challenging. And in order to be operating as a commercial farmer, [I] need more arable land.”
She adds that a modern irrigation system will also make a significant difference to the operation’s production and efficiency.
Upskilling
Because her staff is so important to her and crucial to the success of the business, she stresses that she would like to provide additional and intensive training to her employees.
“If we want to expand and grow the business, we also need to invest in the staff and provide training. I am exploring ways in which I will be able to develop their skills.”
Regarding the Metropolitan Collective Shapers Programme, she stresses that platforms and programmes like these are valuable on various levels.
“The Metropolitan Collective Shapers Programme and the media interviews that followed, allows me to do introspection and look at my business from a different angle. Probing questions force you to think about many aspects of the business. Sometimes you realise that you are lacking in some areas, but every so often, you also realise that you are on the right track.”
She adds that partnerships are important.
“As an entrepreneur, you face a great deal of challenges and self doubt. This programme not only means a lot with regard to business support, but also for our mental well-being. In the Collective Shapers programme, I have met other farmers who are in the same situation and who face the same challenges. The programme was instrumental to help me create a network of contacts, colleagues and friends.”
According to her, the programme reinstated a belief in herself and in her capabilities.
“It allowed me to learn more about myself in a safe space.
“My advice to other agripreneurs is to be flexible, adaptable and to focus on supplying quality and affordable products to the market.”
