In a recent webinar hosted by Red Meat Industry Services (RMIS), farmers received valuable advice on starting a farming business. Duncan Serapelwane, a successful cattle farmer from Morokweng village, North West shared insights on acquiring capital and the importance of mentorship.
Serapelwane initially had no interest in agriculture and said a trip to Thailand sparked his farming journey.
He said this experience and lessons from popular books like “Rich Dad, poor Dad” and “Who moved my cheese” shifted his perspective on work and opportunity.
“Thailand changed my entire mindset because Thailand is an island, and the Thai people work 24/7. I thought of South Africa by then. Look, South Africa is a big area with vast areas of land but the fact is, we are very lazy in South Africa.
“We tend to ask too much instead of utilising whatever we have at our disposal,” Serapelwane said.
After brief stints in teaching, insurance, and banking, Serapelwane decided to fully commit to farming.
Despite being the youngest of three brothers and initially reluctant to follow in his parents’ farming footsteps, Serapalwane said he realised the potential agriculture held for transforming his life and the lives of others in his community.
“This world needs to be changed to a better world, in our case, as black farmers. That’s why I went into farming. I started from the grassroots. I decided I will have to change this thing on my own,” he said.
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Seizing opportunities
The road to success was not without its challenges. Serapalwane emphasised the importance of seeking out resources, such as loans from Land Bank, to get started.
“My first loan was R15 000. I managed to buy about six cows. That’s what I needed. I paid off the loan. I went back to Land Bank. I mean, that’s an opportunity which was there.”
Over time, through careful management and leveraging opportunities, he expanded his business, eventually securing a loan of R1 million.
“If you are a farmer, most of the time you pay an annual instalment, not a monthly instalment. Those things are there at Land Bank. They are there at commercial banks,” he explained.
He stressed the importance of financial discipline, advising fellow farmers to keep meticulous records of their expenses, from buying livestock to fuelling their vehicles.
The importance of mentorship
A significant part of his success has been the mentorship he has provided to other farmers. He shared stories of individuals who started with little to nothing but, under his guidance, grew into successful farmers themselves.
“Mentorship is not about doing the work for someone, it is about guiding them to make their own decisions and helping them grow,” he noted.
When it comes to land, Serapalwane challenged the common notion that one needs vast tracts of land to be successful. He argued that it’s more important to maximise the potential of the land you already have.
“Now, somebody will be saying, ‘No, I need a farm. Then I will prove myself.’ [My question is] Why don’t you prove yourself where you are?” Serapalwane said.
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