When employment proved elusive, Moleke Maphila turned his agricultural qualifications into real-world action. In this edition of Farmer Mentor, he shares how he co-runs Baswa Temong in Limpopo – a 22-hectare farm leveraging crop diversification, livestock, and efficient drip irrigation.
For many aspiring farmers, an agricultural qualification is seen as a pathway to employment. But for Moleke Maphila, struggling to secure a job in the sector became the motivation to put his knowledge into practice and build a farming business of his own.
Today, Maphila helps run Baswa Temong PTY Ltd, a diversified farming enterprise near Bela-Bela in Limpopo. The 22-hectare farm combines vegetable production, livestock and value addition, with a focus on improving profitability and sustainability.
His journey offers practical lessons for farmers navigating modern agriculture.
Backing up his passion through learning
Maphila’s passion for agriculture grew from witnessing how livestock and vegetable production supported rural households. After initially aspiring to become a veterinarian, he discovered the broader role agriculture could play in improving livelihoods.
Maphila’s academic background has equipped him with a strong foundation in agriculture and extension. He holds a diploma in agriculture specialising in irrigation from Taung Agricultural College, and an advanced diploma in agricultural extension from the University of Mpumalanga.
He also completed an honours degree in agricultural management from the University of Limpopo and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in agricultural management, focusing on agricultural extension, at the University of Limpopo.
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When he struggled to find employment in the sector, he decided to apply his agricultural knowledge and skills by starting his own farming enterprise with support from his family. Together with his business partner, Thapelo Mashabela, they secured access to a 22-hectare farm.
Rather than waiting until they had everything they needed, the team focused on making available resources work harder.
The business initially faced limited mechanisation, inadequate machinery, insufficient water infrastructure and difficulties accessing markets. It was also largely self-funded in its early stages.
“We started with limited capital, but we continued to reinvest what the business generated. The goal was to build a business that could eventually sustain and expand itself.”
This required careful attention to cash flow and profitability.
Diversify, but do it strategically
Baswa Temong produces vegetables including cabbage, tomatoes, butternut and spinach, as well as selected higher-value crops. The farm also buys and finishes Boer goats for sale through nearby auctions.
Diversification has created multiple income streams, but Maphila cautions that it must be driven by business realities.
“With limited land and production capacity, we had to ask ourselves how we could improve our profit margins,” he explains.
The farm therefore began exploring value addition and processing some produce, including spinach and butternut.
“Sometimes you cannot continue doing things the same way when you can see the system is no longer giving you the results you need. You have to innovate,” he says.
Invest in people and build a strong team
Maphila believes farming cannot be successfully managed alone.
“Running a farm on your own is difficult. You need a team that understands the vision and shares the goals of the business.”
He invests in training and upskilling workers in livestock production and vegetable crops. This allows team members to take responsibility for different parts of the operation and helps the farm continue functioning when he is not physically present.
Water remains one of the farm’s biggest challenges. Maphila, who has a background in irrigation, says the business has responded by focusing on efficiency. About 90% of its active production area uses drip irrigation.
“With limited water, the question is not simply how much water you have, but how efficiently you use it,” he says.
The farm has adopted drip irrigation and newer technologies to improve efficiency and reduce unnecessary water losses.
Passion, discipline and resilience matter
Farming has taught Maphila that technical knowledge alone is not enough.
“Every season brings new challenges. Agriculture requires patience, consistency and resilience,” he says.
The challenges he has faced have helped build his confidence and ability to adapt. However, two principles remain central: passion and discipline.
“If you are not passionate about what you do and disciplined in how you do it, it becomes difficult to survive the tough periods.”
Ultimately, Maphila hopes his farming journey will extend beyond personal success. His vision is to contribute to food security, job creation and rural development while helping ensure that agriculture continues to improve people’s lives.
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