Luvuyo Mbutho (59) is passionate about farming – from an early age he worked with his father in the fields. He started farming on his own on 4 ha of arable land in a small village, but soon realised that if he wanted to expand his farming enterprise, he would have to get his own land.
‘I had a passion to produce superior quality beef and mutton and I also wanted to produce more maize. The other land in the village was used by the community, and the people were not sharing my vision. To produce what I had in mind, I had to break away.’
In 2008 Luvuyo and his family obtained their 951-ha farm, Altona Farm, through the Land Redistribution for Agricultural Development (LRAD) programme of the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD). Here they produce maize and also have beef cattle, sheep and pigs. Luvuyo sees himself as a successful farmer as he is able to provide for his family through his farming operation. ‘I make my own money from the farm because I can sell my livestock and the maize I grow in order to provide for my family.’
Good relationships and teamwork
The biggest lesson Luvuyo, who farms in the Swartberg area in KwaZulu-Natal, has learned as a farmer is the value of working together. Good relationships with neighbouring farmers have made a great difference in his enterprise. ‘Farmers have helped me with implements and in return we have given them a piece of land to cultivate.’ When more than 20 ha of maize burned down in June last year, the neighbours were there – not only to buy the maize that had been damaged, but also to help make fire breaks to prevent running fires.
He has also learned that sharing is important – whether it is sharing knowledge or equipment. ‘I have learned to share not just what I own, but also what I know,’ he says. ‘Sharing your knowledge with others does not take anything away from you. It helps you to grow.’ Luvuyo believes there is always room for improvement, that is why sharing is important. ‘I may not know that I need to improve unless I meet someone who knows more. That is why it is vital to get together and learn from each other as often as possible.’
Although there have been many challenges, the Mbuthos have persevered and benefit greatly from the input from neighbouring farmers and Grain SA’s mentorship. Luvuyo has been a member of Grain SA for two years and has seen a vast improvement in his maize production. He sings the praises of his mentor, Eric Wiggill, and regional development manager from the Kokstad office, Luke Collier, who have invested their time and knowledge into his farming operation.
‘I planted 126 ha of maize this season – it is the most I have planted in the twelve years that I have been farming.’ Last season Luvuyo averaged 7 t/ha and the previous season, which was a drier season, his average was 6 t/ha. Silage is grown on 15 ha and the other land is used as grazing for the cattle. The maize he produces is distributed in his area through local shops and farmers who produce feed for their livestock.
He has invested in his farming operation by attending courses offered by Grain SA. He is a regular attendee at the Ongeluksnek study group and when meetings do not take place, the study group members remain in regular contact to help each other stay on track. ‘As farmers we are all also farm workers, so in season there is not much time to be away from the farm – that is when the cell phones come in handy.’
The study group topics that have really helped Luvuyo on the farm include soil preparation and the correct use of equipment. ‘Everything was described so simply. Luke explains things so well that it feels as if the discussion is taking place on the farm. I immediately recognised all the mistakes I was making.’ With the session on soil sampling, Luvuyo realised what a substantial difference it can make if you determine the status of your soil before planting. ‘The type of soil and what your soil needs can help increase the yield. I am glad I became a member of Grain SA – I am very, very glad.’ 
Opportunities for growth
It is said that we don’t grow when things are easy; we grow when we face challenges. Luvuyo has experienced this first-hand. Some of the challenges they are facing is the lack of equipment, an unstable workforce and running fires. These all offer opportunities for growth as plans have to be made to overcome these obstacles.
Luvo (27), Luvuyo’s younger son, spent two years in New Zealand and 18 months in Australia working on farms to gain experience. ‘He is very interested in dairy farming and wanted to gain knowledge about it.’ Although Luvuyo does not have dairy farming in mind, Luvo gathered valuable information about the production of livestock feed which has come in useful on Altona Farm. Luvuyo does not yet have a succession plan in place, however Siviwe (30), who also lives on the farm, has shown a keen interest in farming and is learning from his father.
