Some young people in Limpopo are turning to agriculture in a bid to uplift themselves economically. An emerging potato farmer in the Ge-Marte village wants to expand her business to create jobs for the unemployed youths. While in the Ga-Mamaila village, a poultry farmer is setting his eyes on a bigger market for his produce.
These hopes and dreams comes amidst the daily struggles the two young farmers have to battle.
Twenty-six year old, Itumleng Matloga started a small scale poultry project in Ga-Mamaila village, outside Sekgosese. The farm supply locals with chickens during events like funerals.
When it was started two years ago, the prices of chicken, farming and feed was sky high. Matloga says the poultry business assisted in paying off his varsity fees. The University of Johannesburg (UJ) graduate with a BA Law and LLB qualifications, says power outages had a negative impact on his business.
“I was really shattered and I lost many chickens, up to 120 and it was extremely cold. Even load shedding was the cause because that night it was really cold and during the day it was a little bit warm yet they died. I think it was stressful for me,” Matloga says.
The 30-year-old Matome Mokgobu from Senwabarwana also laments the continuing power cuts saying the quality of her produce is at risk.
“Eskom affects us badly. It affects our yield and it affects quality produce that we have to sell to the market. So it cannot produce quality. I won’t be able to make money so really Eskom is affecting the farming business because we don’t get irrigated on time,” Mokgobu elaborates.
The two young people have urged other struggling youths, to consider farming as a way to combat unemployment. – Reporting by Avhapfani Munyai and Baatseba Mabowa
