THE Kwanalu New Farmer of the Year 2019 tile has been awarded to 38-year-old eShowe sugar cane farmer, Simon D’Aubrey, who will now represent KZN in the Toyota SA/ Agri SA National Young Farmer of the Year competition later this year.
The judging and evaluation of the farmers and their agricultural practices take place at provincial level and farmers are judged on their management and business philosophy, as well as the technical competence with which their philosophy is applied.
D’Aubrey, the third generation of his family to farm on Arcadia Estate in Entumeni outside eShowe, joined the family farming business in 2013.
Today he is the sole director and is a 33% shareholder in the property company, a 100% shareholder in the operational company and is responsible for all farm operations of both Arcadia Estate and his other neighbouring farms.
He holds a B-Tech degree in agriculture and a degree in property development and an honours degree in construction management.
He describes himself as ‘not your typical farmer’, has travelled extensively and worked in many places around the world before settling, at the age of 32, on the farm he grew up on with his wife, Emily and their twin daughters.
Mainly cane
Ninety per cent of the farming enterprise is sugar cane, with 8% dedicated to timber and 1% to contracting and bottled water, firewood and cash crops on fallow lands.
He is currently working on diversifying the business’ income stream away from sugar cane to alternate crops.
He also runs an indigenous tree nursery on the farm together with his brother.
‘Pending a cannabis licence to grow hemp for CBD oil, we are ready to plant our first hemp crop,’ D’Aubrey says.
‘We are also currently running a test plot on organic lemons to determine viability and have 8ha of avos on order for 2021.’
He places strong emphasis on preserving the land for future generations. His farming methods tread lightly on the natural environment.
‘All replanted cane fields are currently being pulled back five metres from major water courses and wetlands are being rehabilitated in the valley areas of the farms.’
With a focus on the future, D’Aubrey places a great deal of importance on his role in transformation of the industry and works closely with the local community bordering his farms.
He assists with the cutting, hauling and land preparation of cane for eight small-scale growers, ploughs and cuts grass for this community in the off-season and supplies drinking water and firewood during the drier months.
He also assists with road maintenance on the road they share with the community.
D’Aubrey serves as vice chairman of the eShowe/Entumeni Farmers Association (EEFA) and vice chairman of the local pest and disease committee.
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