Richard Chambukira went from tending gardens to building a thriving vegetable business in Vereeniging in the Vaal. In 2021, the Malawian-born gardener turned farmer started planting tomatoes, spinach, butternut, green pepper, and cabbage to sell in his community.
Prior to becoming a farmer, he was a gardener in Mpumalanga. One of his responsibilities as a gardener was to maintain the lawn, establish trees, fertilise, apply chemicals, prune, and weed flowers, and evaluate plant health.
“I had limited gardening knowledge. Yes, I did plant back home, but not in this manner.”
He explains that when he was introduced to gardening, he fell in love with it. Being surrounded by nature and watching plants grow and flowers bloom inspired him to never relinquish the garden lifestyle.
Finding ways to fly without wings
Chambukira was born and raised in the city of Blantyre, Malawi. He explains that his life in Malawi was complicated and filled with hardships with limited options to escape.
“I was raised in a large, poor family. We were seven siblings living at home with a single mother who worked odd jobs to put food on the table.”
He tells Food for Mzansi that he dropped out of secondary school due to financial difficulties as his family was unable to pay school fees.
“In order to assist at home, I began searching for part-time employment. However, that was not sufficient.”
Greener grass on the other side
He moved to South Africa in 2017 in search of greener pastures. He worked for two years as a gardener in Mpumalanga, and while he was employed there, he saved money to further his education.
Then, he met a friend who became brother-like. Together, they shared a desire to start a farming business.
“He informed me that his late father had left land behind and that there was a possibility of starting a farm. I was so happy to hear that.”
He says he hired a tractor to plough one hectare of land for a start, even though the land was large.
Planting difficulties: becoming the better person
According to Chambukira, his first harvest was a failure due to infertile soil. He says he learned how to make his own fertiliser and it seems to be working well.
“I make my own fertiliser. Therefore, I collect vegetable scraps, eggshells, and bones and incorporate them into the soil.”
He adds that he is learning so much, like about soil preparation for example. If he had known about it beforehand, he would not have lost his entire first harvest.
“I have harvested 1 000 bunches of spinach and hope to harvest more in the future. But without a car, the market poses the greatest obstacles.”
He says that as long as he has reliable customers who order directly from the farm, he saves a lot on delivery.
“I sowed 8 000 tomatoes, 4 000 cabbages, 5 000 green peppers, and a few butternuts. Since I’ve noticed that this spot has a high demand for butternut and peppers, I’ll make sure to plant more of those vegetables next.”
The locals make up most of his customer base but he plans to target supermarkets very soon.
Dreaming big brings good vibes
Considering how much Chambikura loves business, he would still like to be trained.
“I really don’t want to take business risks and grow without knowing a lot about finances, production, foreign exchange, and everything else that comes with owning a farm.”
“My dream is to become a diversified farmer. It will therefore be essential for me to return to school in order to learn the basics.”
He believes that any business requires skill to succeed.
He goes on to say that regardless of being in a foreign country, he will forever be grateful to have met the people he has; they have made him the man he is today. The man who values humanity and consistency.
“I have already learned through meeting people and in farming spaces that commitment is the key. However, consistency plays a vital role too.”
ALSO READ: Farming helps Seboa put food on the table
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