Starting a farming venture can be a daunting challenge but for Zime Mpanza it was an exciting opportunity. In 2022, while expanding existing businesses, she saw a fresh opportunity in chicken and egg farming. Known for seizing opportunities, Mpanza took a chance and Siwela Organic Chickens was born.
“We had no access to food during lockdown season. So the only way was to venture into poultry farming and create jobs. People were losing jobs,” Mpanza shares.
The poultry business, located in Empangeni, KwaZulu-Natal, focuses on selling live chickens to customers. Additionally, Mpanza packages and sells slaughtered meat, all done by herself. “My goal in starting to farm was to create another income stream alongside my other businesses,” she says.
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch
After researching broiler farming, Mpanza expected quick profits. However, the cold hard truth dawned on her when she realised the challenges posed by the high cost of electricity and frequent power outages on her broiler (meat production) chicken business.
“Broiler chickens need warmth to grow properly,” she says. “Electric heaters or brooders keep their houses warm, especially when it’s cold.”
The electricity demand adds to the challenge, and she sometimes loses chicks during load shedding.
Broiler chickens require a warm environment to grow properly. Optimal temperature ranges for broiler chickens depending on their breed .
Jack of all trades
Before diving into the world of business, Mpanza worked at an orphanage. “My love for people and understanding where they come from came from that,” she says.
In 2015, she established Siwela Youth Projects to support orphaned and vulnerable children. This marked the beginning of a series of initiatives aimed at making a difference in her community.
In 2018, she opened her own event company focused on kids’ events. However, her ambition did not stop there. She transitioned to providing photography and videography services at celebrity events and was able to save about R10 000 to start her broiler chicken business.
Related stories
- Chicken farming for beginners: Your poultry path starts here
- Ensure broilers get essential macro and micro minerals
However, managing three businesses in different sectors is no easy task. She admits that sometimes she might miss a thing or two, but she never gives up.
“I make sure to find time and fix whatever I haven’t done on time… We all get the same 24 hours,” she says, “but it’s how you manage those hours that matters.”
For her, a structured schedule is the key to managing her diverse commitments. It is not always easy, but her dedication and determination have always prevailed.
More to come
To market her poultry business, Mpanza makes use of social media. However, has realised that not all potential customers live on the internet, especially the elderly.
“Despite busy times, I manage to reach out to those without social media to advertise my business, and my clientele has grown through word of mouth,” she remarks.
Recently, she ventured into selling eggs after customers began requesting them. She noted the incredible demand for eggs in her area, saying, “I am now working on adding layers soon, so I can sell more eggs.”
Instead of investing in layer chickens, Mpanza decided to buy eggs from other farmers, which she resells. This strategy allows her to meet the growing demand for eggs while focusing on the broiler chicken aspect of her business.
In the meantime, the young business executive has a few more expansion plans up her sleeve but says that she is not rushing into them.
“I want to grow to include braai packs in big supermarkets, which will require a bigger structure, more people, and the supply other farmers.”
READ NEXT: Resilient Bhengu rebuilds layer farm after devastating bird flu
Get Stories of Change: Inspirational stories from the people that feed Mzansi.
