November 2016
LOUISE KUNZ, SA Graan/Grain contributor and HELENUS KRUGER, photos
The winner of the 2016 Grain SA/Syngenta Smallholder Farmer of the Year award, Mr Sizwe Ngwenya (31), is a big dreamer, but not the kind that walks around with his head in the clouds. He is seeking a realistic purpose for his life, holding on to a vision of a better life, one of success and abundance where, as a full-fledged commercial producer, he can play a part in global food security.
His interest in agriculture started at a young age helping his father on the farm. In 2008 his father rewarded his hard work and presented him with 50 ha of arable land on which he is currently farming. On this piece of land in the Piet Retief area near the Swaziland border, Ngwenya plants maize, beans and potatoes. His livestock component consists of mixed beef cattle, for which he has a market in Ermelo, merino sheep producing wool, which is marketed via BKB, and goats sold to the community and on auction.
Ngwenya joined Grain SA in 2011 and is an active member of the Donkerhoek Study Group. ‘When I started the courses with Grain SA, I didn’t realise that you need to know what type of soil you have and what minerals are required,’ he mentioned. With Grain SA’s input he has increased his yield from about 1 t/ha to about 4 t/ha.
This year he yielded 250 tons (all harvested by hand) as a result of excellent soil management, including conservation practices and a strong focus on pH and nutritional balancing. During an interview for the DVD presentation that was shown during the awards ceremony he urged other farmers not to plant without taking soil samples.
‘If you plant without taking soil samples, it will be the same as throwing money down the drain,’ he advised and concluded, ‘add lime according to the soil sample results before you start planting. The plants will grow easier and bigger.’
As he has seen the big difference the use of lime makes, he will definitely adhere to this practice in future. After accepting his award at the Day of Celebration held in September this year, he thanked Grain SA for making this dream a reality and encouraged other farmers to dream big, as one day they too can achieve what he has.
Backed by an able workforce and through good personnel management, this energetic young man even finds time to do construction work for the mines. Every cent earned by the extra income is ploughed back into the farm and every input accounted for as he carefully calculates his next step: To plant 100 ha of maize and grow his enterprise.
He plans to improve his cropping system and to add more livestock in future. Although drought and the shortage of implements are challenges he has to face, he believes that he can overcome them. And judging by what this enthusiastic young man has already achieved, he will.
Publication: November 2016
Section: Grain SA
