Farming isn’t just about what you plant; it’s about how you manage. Commercial trailblazer Meshack Ndongeni shares his journey of scaling from a single second-hand tractor to a multi-crop operation in this edition of our Farmer Mentor series.
Award-winning commercial farmer Meshack Ndongeni’s journey into agriculture did not begin with business plans or formal training, but with a way of life shaped in the former homelands of the Eastern Cape.
Growing up on a small family plot, he learned early that farming meant hard work, responsibility and opportunity.
His mother’s four-hectare plot, irrigated by hand-built furrows and dams, became his first classroom. The family sold vegetables and even bartered produce for grain, later reselling it when prices were higher. These early lessons in production and trading sparked a passion that would shape his future.
The rise of an agripreneur
By the age of 14, Ndongeni was driving a tractor, and by 16, he was repairing it. In 1996, still a young man, he bought his first second-hand tractor and began ploughing for the community while working his own small plot. Contract work soon followed, and by the mid-2000s, he was managing hundreds of hectares for government programmes and municipalities.
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“The contracting side of the business helped me grow. It allowed me to buy implements and build capacity, but it also meant long hours and a lot of pressure. It’s not work for someone who is lazy,” Ndongeni says.
As his fleet of equipment grew, so did his ambitions. With tractors standing idle outside the peak season, he began leasing land to keep his machinery and workers productive. That decision marked his transition into commercial crop production.
“There were clear signs that it was time to move forward. I had the equipment from tillage to harvesting, but it was sitting on leased land. That’s when I realised I needed a farm of my own.”
He secured his first leased farm in 2013, later acquiring a second farm in Kokstad, KwaZulu-Natal, of 1280ha through a bank loan.
Today, Ndongeni Farms runs a diversified operation that includes grain, potatoes, cabbage and livestock. Potatoes have become the main income driver, providing steady cash flow from February to July, while livestock and grain support risk management and feed requirements.
Farming as a business
For Ndongeni, the key to scaling a farming business starts with mindset and discipline.
“Treat farming as a business. Know your input costs, your yields and your profitability. Being commercial is not about how many hectares you plant. It’s about what you produce per hectare,” he says.
He stresses the importance of continuous learning, seeking external support and maintaining accurate financial records. Access to finance, he says, depends heavily on good governance and proper documentation.
“You must plan, keep budgets and stick to them. Have proper financials, keep records and understand your numbers. When lenders look at your business, they want to see how you manage it,” Ndongeni stresses.
Climate variability remains one of the biggest challenges. Unpredictable rainfall, hail and prolonged dry spells have forced him to adapt his planning and risk-management strategies. One of his key recommendations is gradual investment in precision agriculture.
“Even small improvements in precision planting, spreading and spraying can save money. Over a few seasons, those savings make a big difference to profitability,” Ndongeni says.
Advice for the next generation
Beyond production, Ndongeni is passionate about mentoring emerging farmers. He regularly hosts students and young producers, sharing practical knowledge gained through experience.
“My goal is to help others so they don’t have to pay the same school fees I did. Practical knowledge is very important. You can have a qualification, but real understanding comes from working on the land,” he notes.
He also hopes to leave a legacy through his own family, with his Siyavuya, now working alongside him on the farm.
For new and expanding farmers, his advice is simple but honest: understand the nature of the business and commit to doing it properly.
“Farming is not a quick way to make money. It takes patience, planning and discipline. But if you do the right things and keep improving, it can build a strong and lasting legacy,” Ndongeni says.
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