They say age is just a number and farmer Asenathi Ngqobe is proof that it’s true. At just 18 years old, she’s already making a name for herself in the livestock industry. With her passion for agriculture and livestock farming, she is proving that the future of farming is in good hands.
Ngqobe is currently farming with livestock on half of the family land she occupies based in Klipvoor Stardt at Kwa Leah Country Estate in North West. She is involved in grooming livestock for different reasons, including for auctions and selling red meat, where their abattoir slaughters some of the cows and other livestock.
A balancing act
Not only excelling in farming but also academically, this young agricultural visionary is also a second-year journalism and law student at Rhodes University, Eastern Cape, and has learned to master the balance between her studies and farming.
“I started school when I was five, I’ve never failed a grade. I’m only studying to obtain a degree – it’s not really for work purposes, I just want to be an educated farmer,” she says.
“I grew up on a farm where we only had goats, chickens, and other domestic animals such as donkeys. I fell in love with taking care of our small farm, and I then started dreaming of owning my own bigger farm. At home they started farming even before I was born and currently, our farm is quite very big, it’s probably the size of O.R Tambo International Airport, or bigger,” she explains.
Making it happen
Ngqobe started her own farm with her savings.
“I started getting more involved in farming in 2022. I farm with different cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs. At first, it seemed impossible, with having to save and come up with capital. I own multiple businesses such as braiding, cooking, photography, clothing, and many other side hustles so that I would save and use the money. Eventually, I told myself I had to start this dream one way or another, and I did.”
Ngqobe shares that although she is still figuring out what to add to the farm, she is currently happy with exploring more about livestock farming and can manage it well.
“So far I have 10 cows, 12 pigs, 3 sheep, 5 goats, and over 20 chickens. I go home every two weeks from school to visit the farm and see what needs to be done. I manage things like buying my own livestock, their food and medicine, attending auctions and ensuring that they are always safe.
“I’m very business-minded. I plan before I act and calculate all possible income, expenses, profit, and loss.”
Support from the sidelines
She was raised by a single mother, who says she is extremely proud of her achievements and will continue encouraging her to achieve even more than she has.
At the moment, Ngqobe sells meat to local people in the village where the farm is based and also to people who pass by along the way. She remarks that meeting new people through farming is always an opportunity for her to learn more.
“You learn something new every day in farming. You are exposed to different obstacles and many other things. I’ve been granted the opportunity to come across many different people who are also into farming. I meet most of these people at auctions or farm stores that sell food for livestock and many other things,” explains Ngqobe.
A daunting, yet enriching journey
“With such an opportunity, I allow myself to learn from people who have been in the farming industry for a long time, and I learn from their own experiences. Auctions can be very interesting but being a young female among big, experienced men can be quite scary.”
She further encourages people to not limit themselves from engaging and to find the right people to engage with. “Start by educating yourself, doing research, and engaging with others. It’s never too early or too late to start turning your dreams into a reality,” Ngqobe advises.
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