Farming initially was a backup plan for Dumisani Gudwana and Asavela Halile from Cofimvaba in the Eastern Cape. These two never had it easy in life, and both their parents were pensioners which presented significant challenges in meeting their financial needs.
To escape this reality, Gudwana and Halile looked to agriculture. Today they are cultivating spinach and spring onions on a 10 000 square metre plot situated on family land.
Growing up, they would be instructed by their parents to go and ask their neighbours for maize meal to cook.
“There have been times when I’ve lied and said my neighbour doesn’t have mealie meal, but it made me feel guilty when we went to bed hungry,” he recalls.
It was tough and agriculture was part of the everyday activities.
“Our late father would wake us up each morning to fetch water from the river for watering the crops. Even though we didn’t like our father’s strict rules, we can now see how they have helped us to become who we are today,” he says.
A way to feed our own
Following their father’s death in the middle of 2022, they took on full-time ownership of a cultivation garden where they produce sustenance food and operate a small market.
Halile asserts that the intention is to carry forward the work left by their late parents. Their objective is to manufacture and distribute fresh, cost-effective products that are easily accessible to the neighbouring villages.
They supply spinach for the community of Komkhulu, eNgxingweni, and occasionally eLixeni as they don’t have enough space or resources, but they grow spinach all year long.
The cultivation of their crops is supported through the application of compost and chicken manure as fertilisers. This has been utilised for generations, according to Gudwana, and it produces exceptionally robust crops.
Through thick and thin
Like her brother, Halile has childhood memories of her own. The upkeep of their family garden was challenging, she says. They had a lack of workforce and relied heavily on child support grant money.
As a result, the only essential food items that were purchased from the town were maize meal and rice. To add colour to their plate, Halile and her siblings would grow veggies, which their mom would cook.
“We would have cabbage, beetroot, potatoes, tomatoes, and carrots back then in our garden. I would have paid more attention to details at a very young age if I had known how important farming is,” adds Halile.
The power of education
Both Gudwana and Halile believe in the power of education, which is why Gudwana participated in an AgriSETA training programme after a stint as a farmworker on various farms in Ceres, Western Cape.
“I learned a lot during a two-week training in Sea Point that has helped me become a better farmer. I learned about pests, weeds, and collecting data.”
Hallie, on the other hand, became pregnant while in grade 12, forcing her to put her goals on hold. She intends to pursue academic opportunities in the fields of animal and crop production.
“I know from experience that lost time is gone forever. I want to get a better education and make a big difference in the farming industry.”
She has also since participated in an AgriSETA-sponsored programme. The project facilitated the acquisition of fundamental knowledge in agriculture, encompassing poultry care, self-production of manure, piggery maintenance, zero-capital planting techniques and more.
Expanding operations
Farming in rural areas offers many advantages. According to Gudwana, many people who live in remote locations are primarily elderly people who find it difficult to travel. This is either due to poor road conditions or high travel costs.
At their scale, there are, however, limitations.
“We could provide a variety of food products for Intsika Yethu communities if we expand our farming operations. This may consist of meat and vegetables,” says Gudwana.
Halile on the other hand says one of the biggest challenges is sufficient water. “Sometimes it’s hard to keep the water supply stable, which makes it hard to grow crops. Our goal is to build a dam that will provide water when we need it – to get ready for drought conditions.”
Although this pair has a substantial amount of groundwork to complete, their dedication and intentions are aligned. Brace yourselves, Eastern Cape, because this dynamic duo is ready to make a significant impact on agriculture in the province.
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