It’s not easy to take the leap from government bureaucrat to farmer, but Colin Morodi couldn’t let the opportunity pass him by. This is why he made the bold decision to leave behind the security of his job to chase his passion for farming, which is deeply rooted in his family’s history.

“I couldn’t just keep being a consumer of what I didn’t produce,” says Morodi. “I had to create, not just for myself, but also for future generations. The soil, the bulls, the fresh air; they are more than just farm elements. They are a way of life.”

After years of working for the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), Morodi left his city job to follow his passion for cattle farming. Raised in a family where livestock farming was central, this dream took root early on in his life.

His decision represented the fulfilment of a lifelong ambition to become a successful livestock farmer and create a legacy for the next generation.

The beginning

After years of working for government, Morodi realised that his job in the DWS was not enough to fulfil his ambitions.

“I’ve always had the drive to be an employer, to create opportunities for others, and to sign my own pay cheque,” he explains.

His dissatisfaction with the slow pace of career growth in government, coupled with a strong desire to be his own boss, pushed him to take a leap of faith.

“I learnt that world-class success begins where the comfort zone ends.”

Buying a farm was no easy task. Morodi quickly realised that acquiring land was more challenging than buying a car or a house.

“No bank or development agency was willing to fund me, and many required a 50% deposit, which was impossible with my limited resources,” he says.

Not swayed by this, he turned to his family for support, and in 2010, he approached his father, who convened a family meeting. After some tense discussions, his older brother Gabriel and sister-in-law Liefie agreed to help by tapping into a home equity loan.

With their pooled resources, Morodi was able to purchase the 101ha farm Waterval in eNtokozweni (formerly Machadodorp), Mpumalanga.

Tuli Growth Initiative

Fuelled by a commitment to livestock farming, Morodi says his farming operation
took a significant leap forward when he was selected as one of 13 emerging beef farmers to benefit from Tuli Growth Initiative (TGI).

This project is a collaboration between the Tuli Cattle Breeders’ Association of South Africa and the National Livestock Farmers’ Association of South Africa.

Receiving 25 Tuli heifers and one bull through the TGI was a dream come true for Morodi, and added to the 20 head of mixed-type cattle he already had on the farm. With the introduction of the Tuli, however, he plans to sell off the mixed-type cattle.

“The Tuli breed is perfect for adapting to climate change,” he explains. “Their resilience, high fertility and quality meat make them ideal for my operation.”

With the Tuli, Morodi says he is now well positioned to expand his herd and increase productivity.

With the farm as well as the cattle secured, Morodi began the slow process of development, using his savings and relying on his brother’s assistance to install basic infrastructure such as fencing and boreholes. “Farming is a lifestyle I was already acquainted with,” he says.

“City life was never for me. I feel great when I see the soil and cows, and feel the fresh air.”

Overcoming challenges

Like all farmers, Morodi has faced his fair share of challenges. Securing additional funding for farm development has been a persistent struggle, and his applications for government support have so far gone unanswered. Expansion has also proven difficult; his request to lease a nearby state farm was denied, even though the land remains unused.

“It’s frustrating to see state farms sitting idle while small-scale farmers like me need land to expand,” he says.

Stock theft has been another challenge, with Morodi learning the hard way that trust is scarce in the business of farming.

“Losing a herd is worse than losing an individual cow. The business has no loyalty, and addressing problematic employees was a critical step,” he says.

Despite these hurdles, he remains optimistic. Infrastructure development on the farm continues at a slow pace, and he continues to invest in stock, feed and essentials as his budget allows.

Looking to the future

With the support of the TGI, Morodi’s long-term goal is to become a leading Tuli breeder
in the country, supplying high-quality bulls to farmers across South Africa and beyond.

“The demand for Tuli cattle is growing, even across borders,” says Morodi. To meet this demand, he plans to acquire a larger farm and invest in key infrastructure.

As his business grows, Morodi hopes to pass it down to future generations.

“I want my kids or my brother’s kids to take over where I left off. Nothing lasts forever, but a legacy can.”

For him, farming is more than a business, it’s a calling. He says success comes when you wake up every morning ready for the never-ending pursuit of making a success of it.

For Morodi, the ‘why’ is clear: to create a sustainable, thriving farming operation that will feed his family and his community for generations to come.

Advice for aspiring farmers

For those considering a leap into agriculture, Morodi has straightforward advice: “Do your homework. Attend agricultural expos, read up on the industry, and know what works best for your region,” he says.

“Livestock farming, for instance, can be done almost anywhere, but certain breeds thrive better in specific climates.”

A broader vision

Dr Florence Nherera-Chokuda, CEO of the National Emergent Red Meat Producers’ Organisation and a livestock expert with the TGI, explains that while South Africa is a leader in red meat production on the continent, indigenous breeds like the Tuli make up less than 1% of the commercial herd.

She emphasises the importance of increasing the commercial production of heat-tolerant, hardy indigenous breeds like the Tuli.

“Scaling up commercial production of Tuli cattle on emerging farms will support both growth and conservation of this valuable genetic resource,” says Nherera-Chokuda.

“We aim for the commercial herd of breeding cows to grow to at least 15% in the next 80 years as part of a climate change adaptation strategy.”

About the TGI, she says: “This isn’t just a handout, it’s a hand up.

“The opportunity to build a thriving, climate-resilient business will not only support farmers’ families but inspire others in their communities,” Nherera-Chokuda concludes.

What is the Tuli Growth Initiative

The recent launch of Tuli Growth Initiative (TGI) in Bloemfontein marks a significant step forward for South Africa’s red meat industry. Spearheaded by the National Livestock Farmers’ Association of South Africa (NaLFASA), this R20 million, five-year project is set to revolutionise South Africa’s red meat industry.

With strong support from the Rand Foundation and the Tuli Cattle Breeders’ Society of South Africa, this initiative aims to fortify the future of beef production in the country by focusing on the resilient and highly adaptable Tuli cattle breed.

The TGI has selected 13 emerging farmers to pilot the project and to give them the opportunity to transform their livelihoods. Through access to high-quality breeding stock, advanced training, and technical support, these farmers are being equipped to succeed in a competitive and challenging industry.

Dr Florence Nherera-Chokuda, CEO of the National Emergent Red Meat Producers’ Organisation and livestock research and development expert at NeLFASA, says the TGI’s aim is to improve herd sizes and productivity of Tuli breeding herds in the emerging sector for increased economic and environmental sustainability and food security.

According to Nherera-Chokuda, the project is set to create financially sustainable and climate-resilient Tuli beef production enterprises.

“We aim to improve productivity and quality of weaners through genetic improvement and animal health management. Also, we aim to improve utilisation and management of rangelands and water resources, as well as access to markets through the production of high-quality animals.”

She says the initiative’s intervention toward commercialisation will see the identified farmers becoming legal entities, registered and financially compliant.

“We are going to upgrade or increase breeding stock, upgrade the farmers’ facilities, [invest in] skills development, [and promote] mentorship and partnerships with commercial breeders. Our measurable impact indicators will be based on setting up sustainable management of grazing lands and water resources through improved veld carrying capacity, management of freshwater courses and surface storage,” says Nherera-Chokuda.

The identified farmers will also be business compliant; this means they are registered legal entities that submit audited returns and comply with production, animal health and identification protocols and regulations.

Nherera-Chokuda says that as the initiative unfolds, it will undoubtedly serve as a blueprint for similar projects across the continent, demonstrating that with the right support and resources, the challenges facing the farming sector can be met head-on.

“The project endeavours to incubate and mentor farmers in the emerging sector that have potential as commercial producers and marketers of the Tuli cattle breed. The intervention will enable the development of profitable breeding herds of at least 100 purebred Tuli cows with bulls, and improve production facilities and farmer capacity through skills and mentorship over a five-year period.

 

“Grain-fed beef will not be sustainable in 30 to 50 years due to global warming,” she adds.

She says that climate change will happen at an unprecedented rate in Southern Africa over the next 10 years.

“There will be 40% less maize in Africa due to the El Niño weather system. Although South Africa is a leader in red meat production on the continent, commercially recognised [Southern African] indigenous breeds such as the Tuli cattle constitute less than 1% of the commercial herd. It is imperative that the region directs commercialisation of its heat-tolerant and hardy indigenous species of crops and animals.”

Scaling up commercial production of Tuli cattle on emerging farms will ensure the conservation of this genetic resource, she says.

“The commercial herd of breeding cows should grow to at least 15% in the next 80 years as a climate change adaptation strategy for the region.”

Prof Ntanganedzeni Olivia Mapholi, deputy executive dean: College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences at the University of South Africa and co-chairperson of the African BioGenome Project (AfricaBP), says the world’s agricultural production and overall food systems are at their most vulnerable in their current state.

“Based on the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ projection, we may reach about nine billion people [on the planet] by 2050. The proposed solution that Africa has come up with is the African BioGenome Project, a pan-African network aimed at sequencing all non-human species within the continent by African researchers.”

AfricaBP’s effort to produce high-quality reference genome sequences of all indigenous species across the African continent is crucial to improving livestock production.

“The Tuli is one of the [Southern African] indigenous cattle breeds which poses natural resistance to local diseases and parasites. It is also known for its adaptability to harsh environments, good mothering ability, early maturity, docile nature, high fertility, and ability to perform well under minimum labour input.

“Despite their valuable characteristics, their genetic architecture is not well explored and does not have a high-quality [curated to a chromosomal level] reference genome.

“Having a high-quality reference genome that is accessible to researchers is essential as a genomic tool to establish efficient breeding programmes,” she says.