Emerging farmers must believe in themselves

Thokozile Mathelela, who received the 2018 Agricultural Research Council’s Emerging Beef Farmer of the Year Award, farms Limousin and Drakensberger cattle in Hendrina, Mpumalanga. She spoke to Gerhard Uys.

How did you experience 2018? It was challenging, but exciting, to compete in a predominately maledominated environment. It was good to learn and understand the principle of supply and demand in the training I received during the year.

What challenges does 2019 hold for South Africa’s beef industry? Increasing overheads costs, such as electricity and labour costs, will certainly be a challenge.

What investments are you planning to make in 2019?

I want to add Beefmasters to my cattle operation. I also want to begin linseed production to add value to my farm.

Are you optimistic about the future of emerging farmers in South Africa?

I’m very optimistic that emerging farmers who believe in themselves, coupled with material and moral support from government and the private sector, have a great future ahead. Wh at can be done to create an environment in which emerging farmers can prosper? Emerging farmers often don’t have collateral, so banks and government can help by assisting us with accessing financial loans. We also need more land for agricultural activities, and the youth and women should be encouraged to participate in agriculture through skills training and other incentives. We also need to remove all gender stereotypes. I was stereotyped when I began farming and many people, including my neighbours, said a woman cannot farm.

Some other women farmers and I thus formed an all-women co-operative, but some were discouraged and left. But in 2011 the co-op received training, and this helped a lot. I also got help from a neighbour with marketing cattle at auction and crop production. In 2017, the co-op received a contract to produce broiler chickens. Now we pay our own way. We proved our critics wrong.

• Email Thokozile Mathelela at 0722016310@vodamail.co.za.