GUGULETHU MAHLANGU THE UNDETERRED

Gugulethu Mahlangu   a female farmer born and raised in Emalahleni. Gugu always had an interest in farming from a young age but because land is the biggest barrier, she had to sit down and come up with a plan. She decided to go volunteer as a farm worker and that is when she got an opportunity to see it all and what it meant to be a farmer. She had a glamorous view of farming, she always thought of beautiful landscapes when it comes to farming.

She then made a smart move of building relationships with other farmers which worked at her advantage. Through interacting with other farmers, using her skills and knowledge, she was able to find a farm in Machadodorp .This was perfect because the farm was just an hour drive from home. When she got there, her first attempt on doing it on her own was disastrous, that’s when she realized she needed a mentor.

 She took her farming project to Kokstaad. There was no rent required on the Kokstad farm as it a communal land, which was an added advantage. She only had to use her skills to plough and harvest the cabbages. The cabbages came out perfect, the only problem was that her pest control management was not up to standard and that had an impact on her harvest.

She later found a farm in Boksburg of which she currently does her farming project on a 14hectare land. Costs to plant on the 14H are high, so she will gradually plant on the whole land as she receives funding. The biggest challenge she faces is access to funding. Farming requires capital which is difficult to find. The love of farming is what helps her grow her business. Agriculture requires patience and dedication. She does not struggle with marketing her produce as she approaches the informal market and the fruits/veg market. She does not have any commercial contract yet her business continues to grow.

She further advises other farmers to start small and grow.