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Member landscape
September 2015
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GRAIN SA
Salphanius Motswenyane
Grain SA/Syngenta Smallholder
Farmer of the Year finalists
S
alphanius Motswenyane was born in a village called Brooksby
near Mooifontein in the North West Province. He is the first
born of Simon and Ivodia Motswenyane and grew up in a farming
environment where his father taught him about agriculture. He mar-
ried Maria Mmamane Mokwatse in 1974 and they have two children,
Steven and Martha.
He attended school at the Gelukspan Motswenyane Bantu School
where he finished grade 8 after which he had to start working to
earn a living.
His first job was with Mr Moses Motswenyane at Kaalpan and
from there he worked for Mr Fielies van Rensburg near Taaibosch-
spruit in the Sannieshof district. After seven years he got a job at
the Mooifontein agricultural co-operative.
This humble man decided at a very young age that one of his
dreams is to become a commercial producer, but he also realised
that he will have to work very hard to get there. His role-models and
inspiration are his father and uncles.
He became involved with Grain SA many years ago as a study
group member attending study groups and training courses and he
became an advanced farmer in 2013.
Motswenyane planted 140 ha of maize and 50 ha sunflowers. He
is a hardworking farmer who tries to do everything on his farm at
the correct time; he also tries his best to control weeds and to
fertilise. He is currently farming on Tweebuffelsgeschiet near
Lichtenburg in the Grootpan area – a farm he received from the
Department of Rural Development.
1: Salphanius Motswenyane.
2: Du Toit van der Westhuizen (his farmer development co-ordinator), Salphanius and Johan van der Merwe (one of the judges).
3: Salphanius planted 140 ha of maize and 50 ha sunflowers. He tried his best to control weeds and to fertilise.
4: Salphanius with his planter.
5: Salphanius is very proud of his tractor.
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GRAIN SA is
very proud of these finalists