When Lutendo Nevondo, an avocado and litchi farmer from Limpopo, started her farming journey, she was living hand to mouth. In those early days, the hours were long and the profit margins almost non-existent. Truth be told, there were times she wasn’t sure the farm would survive.
“It wasn’t easy. The business was running hand to mouth… I desperately needed structure.
“You have to shift your mindset,” she says firmly.
“You have to see farming as a business. Put it in front of you like any other enterprise. That’s where it starts,” Nevondo explains.
Today, this fruit farmer manages a 30-hectare farming enterprise, with 10 hectares currently in full production, delivering fresh avocados and litchis to Pretoria and Joburg markets, and retail stores like Boxer and Spar.
Since last year, Subtrop has helped her get her produce to Amondel Pakkers who then distributes the fruit to stores like Woolworths and Shoprite. Some of her produce are also sold to locals and hawkers.
However, Nevondo is not stopping there. She recently received her SA G.A.P. certification.
No water, no staff, and no fence
Back in 2014, this fruit farmer was a manager at Metropolitan Life, charting spreadsheets and leading teams. Then she resigned, using part of her pension payout to buy a piece of land in Vondo village, located outside Thohoyandou, and name her business Molondzhi Farm.
“I always wanted to be a business person. And at that time I thought of farming. I love farming, but it was never part of my life’s goals,” she shares.
The land – 5 hectares when she bought it – had its own lessons to teach. In those first years, she faced many challenges and often wondered if she made the right choice
“There were days I thought about going back,” she admits. “But it was done. The resignation letter was sent. I couldn’t go back.”
“In 2015, an elderly man in my neighbourhood told me he was tired of managing the farm and wanted to sell his farm. I automatically became interested. There was nothing on the farm, except for a few litchi trees… No store room. No toilet and the farm was bushy. I had to start from scratch,” she recalls.
Water, and finding people to work the land, were the biggest challenges. The farm had no water access, so Nevondo had to raise funds to drill a borehole. “My budget was low. When we started I only had one worker. We had to do so much work. Then we also had to deal with theft because the farm was not fenced.”
Despite these testing moments she pushed through, leaning heavily on support from her husband, Immanuel Nevondo, the department of agriculture, Subtrop, as well as her family and elders.
“It wasn’t easy, but over time, as I became more knowledgeable, things improved. I now have better structure in place. I can afford to buy fertilisers and chemicals, and I have enough money to pay my workers.”
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What comes after 1 000 avocados?
In addition to avocados and litchis, Molondzhi Farm also produces maize and a variety of seasonal vegetables. Nevondo says she’s excited to make full use of the remaining 20 hectares still available for planting.
“I have a very big vision. I’m looking forward to exporting my product in the coming year,” she exclaims.
Her goal is to use technology in the farm to make things easier and to have more production. So, I intend to use technology.
“I need a drone to help me spray my trees accurately and follow my spray programme more effectively. A tractor would also make my work much easier, especially for ploughing, cleaning the farm, and preparing the soil,” Nevondo explains.
“I now have the knowledge and confidence to call myself an avocado farmer.”
Lutendo Nevondo
Through the trials, the waiting, and the self-doubt, farming shaped not only Nevondo’s land, but also the woman she has become. There were moments when she wanted to give up, but her family stood by her, reminding her why she started.
“In the beginning I did not have avocado trees. Today, I have more than 1 000 avocado trees with different cultivars. Thanks to Subtrop, I now have the knowledge and confidence to call myself an avocado farmer. And for that, I’m deeply grateful,” she shares.
As she prepares to take her business to new heights, Nevondo moves forward equipped with hard-earned experience and the kind of patience only farming can teach.
“Farming has taught me the true meaning of patience. Growing litchis and avocados means waiting two to three years before the first harvest and even longer to see the full rewards,” she shares, remaining excited about the future.
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