In the city of roses, a new story is unfolding. It’s the journey of Kealeboga Rapulana and Lesego Motsemme, two ambitious Gen Z farmers on a mission to break new ground. Together, they’ve launched tsa Zadisha, a Swahili word that means “to grow” or “to multiply.”
And that’s exactly what they’re doing in Bloemfontein, Free State; nurturing their dreams, multiplying their impact, and changing the face of farming.
It was through shared practical agricultural training in their diploma in agriculture at Potchefstroom College of Agriculture, that they crossed paths. Motsemme, originally from Klerksdorp in North West, moved to Bloemfontein for work but never lost touch with his agricultural roots. Rapulana, from Mahikeng, also in North West, arrived in the Free State to complete her work integrated learning (WIL) programme.
Their shared love for agriculture blossomed during their studies. Motsemme’s journey began in grade 11 after visiting an aquaponics system during a school life sciences tour.
“We didn’t even have agriculture at school, but I saw this girl, my age, growing food without soil. I was amazed and thought, this is where I belong.”
Lesego Motsemme
Foundation for success
Rapulana was inspired by her grandmother, who once lived comfortably on a farm acquired through a relationship with an established farmer. “After he passed on, the farm deteriorated. My grandmother could not handle input costs on her own. I saw how our lifestyle changed. I thought no, I want the soft life again. I want the wealth that farming can bring.”
The duo’s first venture was selling seedlings from an underutilised greenhouse at college. “We bought seed trays and coco peat and started growing seedlings for nearby farms. Word spread in the village, and before we knew it, one farmer told another. That’s how our business truly began.”
As part of their college programme, students spent the first two years focusing on theory, followed by a third year dedicated entirely to practical training. Rapulana completed her hands-on learning on a beef and game farm in the Free State that included arable land. Initially requesting just one hectare to cultivate, she and her partner were instead granted six by the farm owner.
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This generous allocation, part of a massive 1080-hectare farm, laid the foundation for what would become tsa Zadisha. Today, the duo supplies fresh produce to the lodge on the farm, a butchery in Klerksdorp butchery and aim to supply special events like conferences, while also servicing markets back home in Klerksdorp.
Rapulana and Motsemme quickly realised they shared not only friendship but a common vision for how farming should be done. “We knew it would be hard to go at it alone, so we partnered up. One day, we just said let’s formalise this and build something together,” she said.
That decision led to the formation of tsa Zadisha, now not just a farm, but a growing platform for innovation and youth empowerment. Their dream? To eventually build an agritourism hub with a farm-to-table restaurant and offer opportunities to agriculture students like themselves.
“Like our mentor gave us land and water, we want to do the same for others,” says Rapulana. “Students often graduate with knowledge but no real farming experience. They end up as general workers. We want to give them actual portions of land to manage and learn from.”
Failure cultivates resilience
Despite their optimism and drive, the road hasn’t been easy. Their biggest challenge was access to land. Before getting the current plot they are based on, they had to plant on other people’s land.
“Without shared vision and commitment, those partnerships didn’t work,” Rapulana shares.
Securing land was just the beginning. The challenges didn’t end there. Motsemme notes that they still lack essential equipment like tractors, relying instead on hired labour and paying workers from their limited resources. It’s tough, he admits, but it does create employment opportunities, even if the daily wage is minimum, it is an amount that still holds value in today’s economy.
Security has posed another challenge. They’ve experienced theft, prompting them to adjust their strategy by planting 10% more than their projected yield to cushion the impact of potential losses.
“We’re starting small, but we’re growing. One season at a time.”
Lesego Motsemme
Operating on just under a hectare of their six-hectare allocation, the pair have focused on spinach and cabbage, working within the limits of a modest irrigation setup powered by solar. “We’d love a proper drip system. We have the land and water, we just lack the capital to scale,” Rapulana says.
Fertiliser costs are another burden. Without any external funding to date, every cent has come from their own pockets, including money from bursaries such as the one awarded by Potato South Africa.
Their resilience is admirable. “We’ve failed. A lot. Every time we fall, we get back up,” says Rapulana. “Our last harvest was fully funded from our own pockets, labour and all. We’re proud of that.”
Building a name, changing perceptions
The team at tsa Zadisha is also working hard to change perceptions about agriculture among the youth. “We hosted a cultural debate last year, attended by YARD, ARC and Afasa. We wanted to show that agriculture isn’t just about dirt. It’s about science, technology, AI, and agro-processing. We wanted people to see the bigger picture,” Rapulana says.
Though they’ve yet to secure formal partnerships or grants, they remain hopeful. They are currently waiting on a potential NYDA grant and continue to build networks in retail and agricultural circles.
As Gen Z farmers, Rapulana and Motsemme represent a new generation of agricultural leaders: tech-savvy, community-minded, and deeply passionate. They understand that farming isn’t just about growing food, it’s about building futures.
“We’re starting small, but we’re growing. One season at a time. There’s no other way. We’re going to grow,” Motsemme says.
And with that mindset, tsa Zadisha is not just the name of their company. It’s a prophecy in motion.
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