There was no way Ntsako Shipalana could not love farming. She grew up in a farming family and learned that feeding the nation is what satisfies her heart. It became a calling this chicken farmer could not ignore.
Born and bred in the heart of Tzaneen in a village called Ofcolaco, Shipalana is a poultry farmer who employs 16 full-time and eight casual workers.
The passion-driven farmer says there is no way she could run away from farming as she grew up in a family of farmers and the primary purpose was to ensure that the community had food in their households.
“My family has always been in the farming industry so I grew up seeing everyone involved in farming one way or the other. We farmed with both livestock and crops – from maize, peanuts, and beans to pigs, goats, sheep, and poultry.
“So this is what I was exposed to from an early age, there was no way I could not love farming when it was a way of life for my family,” she says.
Giving in to the desire to farm
Shipalana studied business management and opted not to go further with her studies but rather start farming operations that would create jobs for the community.
“My love and calling to be a farmer could not allow me to continue with my studies. The desire to work the land grew bigger by the day and I had to give in. In 2017, I started my company called Olori Chickens, because there was a lack of poultry farmers in my surroundings,” she says.
Because of the need in the community, her production grew from 500 to 1 000 and that for her was a pat on the shoulder that her move was the right one. Her goal of feeding the nation was being realised.
“We started with 500 chicks and just one employee but we have grown big in recent years, and for us, it is not just selling the chicken, it is about convenience. It is about what people want.
“We sell live chickens, we slaughter and clean the chickens, and we deliver the finished product at the comfort of our customers, that is what makes us unique.”
Push hard when challenges arise
Shipalala says farming looks good in pictures but the industry on its own it is brutal, and you need to have a thick skin.
“Farming is beautiful but it has its own fair share of challenges. You will wake up with stock being dead while orders are waiting, it needs one to think on their feet.
“There will be theft or natural disasters that require one to think ahead. That is what I have learned in the business of farming, you need to farm smart to be able to make it in the industry.”
Shipalana explains that though she had knowledge of how to operate a business, she needed to enrich herself when it came to the dynamics of farming. That is why she started attending seminars by other farmers who have been in the industry longer.
“While one enjoys growing daily, it comes with a lot of pressure because as a woman in the industry, you will always get undermined by others.
“You are sometimes required to prove yourself more, simply because you are a woman. The best way to use that is to make it push you to do more and better.”
Shipalana’s market is households in her community who have supported her business from day one.
Motivation breeds success
“It was not easy to penetrate as people take a bit of time to trust. It was fun to market the idea to different people who were very welcoming,” she adds.
Shipalana says she draws her inspiration from farmers like Thando Magane from Freshnet, Ncumisa Valashiya and Ncumisa Mkabile.
“I dream big and I wish to one day see a truck labelled Olori Chickens delivering chickens across the country, and having walk-in butcheries,” she says, sharing her vision.
Shipalana runs poultry masterclasses in her town as well as online to have other aspiring farmers gain knowledge and experience in how to farm better.
“Our sessions include one-on-one training which is for a period of two days. It entails setting up housing, chicken placement, feeding and bio-security,” she says.
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