When she went to study for her four-year certificate with the Sustainability Institute in Stellenbosch, Nontombi Ntwazi had a clear intention to go back and plough in her homeland, because as a child she found the love of farming.
Responding to questions from Mthatha Express, she said she had always been a farmer at heart. She said she loved both growing vegetables and farming livestock. While farming is in her blood, Ntwazi has a sense for business.
“After my graduation, I registered my business, Ntwazi Farming Projects. I started working in my family garden planting spinach and potatoes. I sold my produce to the community. I then took my profit and bought two sheep, a ram, and an ewe, as well as two pigs, a sow, and a boar,” she said.
Her farming project is currently certified by SA Good Agricultural Practices. Her final audit of three, which focuses on worker hygiene, and the use of plant protection products was in March.
Now with the pride of a certificate, Ntwazi is looking forward to exporting her produce.
“I consider myself a growing farmer but want to expand my hectares so I can create more jobs and more produce. With the high rate of unemployment, I advise young people to venture into farming. This way we will produce more food, and fight poverty and unemployment at the same time,” Ntwazi said.
She now has five employees, two of whom are permanent, and the other two are casual workers. With the motto of her business called Life on Land, it is her belief that farming promotes healthy living.
Ntwazi, from Matholanyile in Cofimvaba, would love to one day venture into dairy farming.
