LIMPOPO – In his backyard farm in the rural village of Maniini outside Thohoyandou in the Vhembe district, is where you will find young farmer Shumanai Mudau.
The 33-year-old farms ginger, garlic, turmeric, spinach, mustard and strawberries, in what he refers to as his backyard farm that has become a beacon of hope in empowering a community that once frowned upon the value of agriculture.
The community is plagued by unemployment, and youths wander the streets aimlessly or fuelled by drugs or liquor.
But the OTS Farm is slowly changing the negative landscape, says Mudau.
“Agriculture holds great opportunities for the youth. Many young people in my community have been able to generate an income for themselves by growing vegetables too. It is important to continue ensuring there’s a culture of farming because at the end of the day, we have to secure an incomes for ourselves. Besides, the skills in agriculture are easy to transfer. In the rural areas, many people look down on farmers and the work they do, thinking their income is the same as minimum wage. Our communities now learn that farming is not for the uneducated, as educated people also venture into farming.”
He further said there’s no time to sleep when he has goals to reach.
“I often think of how my peers go out and have fun, but I encourage myself to keep going. I will have my fun later.”
He told CV that the water supply for his farm operation has been a challenge in recent times.
“I have to buy water from my neighbours who have a borehole. Sometimes they aren’t available or at home when I have to water my crops and this leads to huge losses on my part.
I choose to stay committed, because my goal is to grow my business and giving it the time and energy it deserves.
I hope the business will continue blossoming into a larger enterprise that will supply vegetables to all the big wholesalers in Vhembe.
I want people to look at my business and realise that anything is possible in this world as long as they put their minds and effort into it,” he concluded.
