As the CEO and founder of Masotsheni-Agri-Farming, crop farmer Ntetelelo Mdletshe takes his role seriously. Every morning, he is the first at the farm and the last to leave. This kind of discipline and determination has helped him grow his business from a few square metres to five hectares.
“I’m up at 5 am every day,” he explains. “You can’t lead from the back. A CEO has to be the first one to unlock the gates and the last to lock up.”
Masotsheni-Agri-Farming was born in 2022 with just 50 by 25 metres of soil. Today, in Masotsheni, KwaZulu-Natal, he produces cabbages, spinach and carrots on land 40 times that size.
“We didn’t expect our business to grow the way it has. At first, we were just testing the market to understand the demand and need. But then we realised it was time to scale up and aim for bigger goals,” he shares.
Building a market-ready brand
With a background in information technology from Durban University of Technology and additional training in entrepreneurship and business development, Nthetelelo combines technology and agriculture to drive innovation in his agribusiness.
He says that during his studies, he was first introduced to entrepreneurship through a module designed to equip students with business-building skills. “What stood out to me was the message that we shouldn’t just complain about unemployment, we need to create our own opportunities, especially as young people.”
Right now, Masotsheni-Agri-Farming are diversifying its crops to meet local consumer preferences and has started planting green peppers and butternuts. However, beyond meeting local demand, Mdletshe has bigger ambitions after participating in the Metropolitan Collective Shapers programme.
“Ultimately, we want to develop a high-quality, branded product that we can supply to retailers. That’s the long-term vision. We also want to build a strong, market-ready brand,” he shares.
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Mdletshe notes that one of the biggest challenges at the beginning of his farming journey was accessing land. “When we started, we didn’t fully understand the processes involved, especially in rural areas where you have to consult with traditional leaders like the local chief to secure land properly.”
They also identified other gaps in knowledge and resources. “We didn’t have capital, and we didn’t know much about branding, marketing, or even how to price our products properly. There were so many things we had to figure out.
“We had to learn continuously. Every single day brought a new lesson. Transitioning from farming to running an agribusiness was a steep learning curve, but it pushed us to grow.”
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Using IT skills to run his farm
Mdletshe says his IT education continues to shape the way he runs Masotsheni-Agri-Farming. Before starting any new project, Mdletshe makes sure to apply the same structured thinking he learned during his studies.
“I always go back to the basics. What’s the use case for this project? That thinking helps me strip away what’s unnecessary and focus only on what’s going to move the business forward.”
As the business has grown, so has its use of technology. They make use of farm management software, which has been a huge help with things like finance, record keeping, and general bookkeeping.
“Farming is unpredictable. Anything can happen,’
Ntetelelo Mdletshe
They’ve also installed a smart irrigation system. “We can monitor our water usage through an app, which helps us conserve water and keep our operations efficient. The system directs water straight to the roots of the plants, so nothing is wasted. It’s been a great investment.”
While he has made significant progress, Mdletshe says he is far from successful. Success, to him, is a journey.
“Right now, I’d say we’re still in the process of becoming successful. True success is when I see jobs being created. When I see young people from my community employed and earning through this business.”
His advice to other aspiring entrepreneurs or farmers is to find something they are passionate about. “Then comes the discipline and consistency. Farming is unpredictable. Anything can happen,’ he says.
Mdletshe explains that even with careful planning, external factors like climate change can impact your harvest.
“Whether you’re in farming or any other business, stay consistent and stay disciplined. There will be tough times. But tough times don’t last, tough people do.”
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