Farmer's Weekly (South Africa)
Farmer excels with a little help from his friends
Jeremia Mathebula was recently announced the New Era Commercial Farmer for 2018. With the help of his mentors and TWK, he has improved his maize yield and production.
Jeremia Makhosini Mathebula (39) is the Grain SA/Absa/John Deere Financial New Era Commercial Farmer of the Year 2018.
Mathebula farms in the Amersfoort area in Mpumalanga. He was born in 1979 and grew up in Iswepe near Piet Retief on the Ingwempisi Estate Farm where he used to help his father plant maize on a small piece of land. “I was raised by a father who planted maize on 1ha and had a herd of 12 cattle on communal land. He set the example, and I could not help but follow in his footsteps. At the age of 10, I started weeding and planting with him. He was my first mentor,” says Mathebula.
Small beginnings
In pursuit of his passion, Mathebula bought 10 cows, which he kept on communal land until 2010, when he began leasing the 1 400ha farm Klipplaatdrif in Amersfoort from the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform.
In 2010, he planted maize on 40ha. However, he achieved a disappointing yield of only 2,5t/ha. To improve this, Mathebula consulted with successful commercial farmers, companies and individuals.
Tito Vorster, a commercial farmer from Piet Retief, was one of Mathebula’s first mentors. Vorster also introduced Mathebula to the Simbra cattle breed.
“Tito taught me a love for the Simbra and assisted me as a consultant for two years. If I didn’t quite know how to take the next step, he was always willing to look at the situation with me and give sound advice about breeding values, selection, artificial insemination, and how to choose a bull. But the most important thing I learned from Tito is a love for the Simbra,” says Mathebula.
Mathebula attained a formal training qualification in Simbra stud production and management with the assistance of Vorster.
Mathebula now farms around 600 cattle.
Focus on Grain
In 2013, Mathebula began conducting business with TWK Agri, who financed him to expand his grain farming activities.
“TWK has supported me and given me the boost I needed. They provided me with good mentorship, and without that I would not be where I am today,” he says.
Mathebula immediately planted 100ha, an improvement from the 40ha he had planted previously. A year later, he planted 250ha.
“From the total of 1 400ha, I use 1 100ha for grazing and 300ha for planting. I also now rent an additional 300ha in Morgenzon where I plant grain.” His longterm goal is to expand the 600ha of arable land to 1 000ha.
“I use crop rotation with soya bean. I generally plant about 60% maize and 40% soya bean. The reason I plant more maize is that I can use the rest for cattle feed,” he explains.
With TWK’s assistance, Mathebula has also increased his maize yield. He now achieves up to 8t/ha on dryland and 10t/ha under irrigation.
“When I started farming here, the soil was in poor condition. Under the mentorship of TWK’s Enterprise Development Division, we have systematically balanced the pH of the soil with sufficient lime on a seasonal basis. It is a process, however, and takes time.”
Mathebula says it’s definitely not easy to farm. “The challenges are there. Some years you will make a good profit, and other years you will not come close. Therefore, a love for farming is so important because at the end of the day it’s what keeps you going.
“Support from your family is also important because it is just as tough on them. And when you feel that it is impossible to go on, it is your mentor’s advice that will motivate and carry you through.”
Development programme
TWK’s Enterprise Development Division was established in 2013. The barriers to success
for emerging farmers, who had already gained access to land, were identified as follows: access to finance; access to the correct inputs at the correct times; and access to technical skills.
Mathebula was a farmer who had already successfully farmed on a small scale and delivered grain to TWK, and was thus one of the first two farmers in the development programme.
Since the initiation of the programme, the Enterprise Development Division has grown every year. Today, the division supports around 40 emerging farmers in the grain, forestry and livestock industries.
Partnerships
Soon after establishing the Enterprise Development Division, TWK realised that it needed to have the right partners to realise its goals. The Land Bank was its first major partner, and made wholesale financing available for the financing of black emerging farmers.
The division’s initial success enabled TWK to apply for funding from the Jobs Fund, which significantly boosted the development programme. The Grain Farmers’ Development Association (GFADA) has also been contributing to the programme over the past few years by offering subsidies to farmers to help them correct their soil, as well as providing funds for crop insurance policies.
Grain SA also contributes to the programme by providing training. The good relationship between TWK and Grain SA helps the successful farmers in Grain SA’s development programme to later gain access to a larger-scale development programme that can help them reach commercial level.
Over the past few years, TWK has built good relationships with the provincial and local departments of Rural Development and Land Reform, as well as the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. It has also maintained open communication with relevant officials.
A number of commercial farmers are partners for certain individual projects, and TWK assists in formalising agreements as well as financing these projects. Other TWK divisions are also regarded as important partners, and the Enterprise Development Division facilitates access to specialists in each division. These include Financial Services (credit and insurance), Trade (inputs), Grain (marketing and storage), and Timber (marketing).
an exceptional man
Emerging farmers face unique challenges, which include poor soil quality, outdated or inadequate mechanisation, community challenges, poor balance sheets, and inadequate experience. Success stories like Mathebula’s motivate everyone to keep going. Mathebula is an excellent entrepreneur, and this has played a major role in his success. He has become a valuable customer of TWK, and through the TWK Loyalty Scheme has also become a shareholder of the TWK Group.
Mathebula is a great inspiration to other emerging farmers in the TWK development programme, as well as for others accross South Africa.
• Phone TWK Agri on 017 824 1000, or email twk@twkagri.com.
Visit twkagri.com.