A single book lit the spark that changed Sphelele Mkhwanazi’s life. Guided by a vision bigger than himself, he is reimagining his family’s KwaZulu-Natal farm, transforming sugarcane fields into a hub for industrial hemp that has the power to shape livelihoods and green industries.
Mkhwanazi is charting a bold new path in South African agriculture. Through his start-up, Blue Horizon Hemp Enterprises, he hopes to revitalise his family’s 30-hectare farm with industrial hemp, while growing a cooperative model that supports smallholder farmers.
“We are a start-up industrial hemp enterprise based in KwaZulu-Natal, rooted in family farming. Our focus is on developing hemp as a sustainable crop for both fibre and grain, with a vision to contribute to rural livelihoods, green industries, and a climate-resilient agricultural future,” he shares.
Currently, Mkhwanazi has received promising feedback and is awaiting a cultivation permit from the department of agriculture, but preparations are already underway with one hectare of land cleared for trials.
“Our long-term goal is to scale into a 30-hectare operation that creates jobs, supports smallholder farmers, and positions South Africa as a leader in the hemp economy,” he shares.
Related stories
- Kitso’s hemp and gin farm: Where innovation meets nature
- Hemp farming: Sowing the seeds of success in planting season
- Indigenous flowers: A new path to profit for SA farmers
- Jobless graduate turns EC homestead into opportunity hub
Inspired by a book and a bigger purpose
Interestingly, Mkhwanazi’s farming journey was sparked not in the fields but through reading. “My journey started when I discovered ‘The Secret’, a book on the law of attraction. It sparked something inside me,” he says.
“I realised I could shape my own future, create opportunities, and be part of something far greater than myself. That’s when I found hemp and cannabis plants with extraordinary potential that humanity has ignored for too long.”
For Mkhwanazi, farming goes beyond financial gain; it represents a sense of purpose, leadership, and the opportunity to create a better life not only for his family but also for everyone involved in the journey.
Why hemp?
Although initially drawn to cannabis, Mkhwanazi chose hemp for practical and economic reasons.
“The difference with cannabis farming is that it requires a lot more water, a lot more electricity. It requires a lot of light. It’s not the same with the hemp; with hemp, it requires less water, less pesticides, less herbicides. It grows perfectly for our condition, for our climate.”
He believes hemp offers broader opportunities. “With industrial hemp, we get to venture into different industries, such as textiles and even construction. One of the biggest ones is construction. With what we grow, we can make hempcrete. We are also able to turn the oil from the plants into ethanol or biofuel. That also could help change a lot of things in South Africa.”
Balancing studies and farming
Mkhwanazi is currently completing a BA in forensic science and political science at Howard College, yet his heart lies in farming.
“I’m graduating early next year, but with what I’m doing there, it’s not really my thing. I was very stressed out because I felt like I wasn’t living to my fullest potential. Then I came across a book, and the vision became clearer, and everything made sense.”
Despite his studies, he commits daily time to research and planning for Blue Horizon Hemp.
Like many new farmers, Mkhwanazi has had to be resourceful. Without access to major capital, he has relied on discipline and savings. “With the capital, that’s still something that we’re still working on, so far it’s just been my allowance I’ve been saving. I’ve been using my pocket money.”
Even paperwork and regulatory processes have not discouraged him, as he has turned to AI tools like ChatGPT to simplify tasks and guide him through the permit application process, making challenges easier to manage than expected.
Building towards the future
Blue Horizon Hemp’s vision stretches far beyond its 30 hectares. Mkhwanazi plans to grow the enterprise into a cooperative model supporting smallholder farmers while also venturing into processing.
“I want the farm to be like a processing hub, to have the decortification on the farm, which is the machinery needed to separate the fibre from the stalk. And other processing machinery, which will allow us to be the place where everyone or all the other farmers, are able to process their crops.”
Mkhwanazi is clear about what drives him forward: mindset and self-work. “I would advise anyone to work on themselves more. I think the more you work on yourself, the more you understand yourself, the more you know what you want. It becomes easier for you to chase whatever dream you have. Giving up never becomes a thing, regardless of anything that may happen.”
His favourite quote from “The Secret”, the book that inspired his business venture, reflects his outlook: “Whatever the mind can conceive, the mind can achieve.”
READ NEXT: Predator control: Problem animals or ‘problem people’?
