- Follow us:
- Our Commodities:
-
April 2025
‘FOR BUYISIWE, EVERYTHING STARTS WITH A VISION.’ THESE WORDS CONCLUDED THE VIDEO ABOUT BUYISIWE STEVEN DHLAMINI (56) AT THE 2024 DAY OF CELEBRATION. HE WAS ONE OF THE FINALISTS FOR THE GRAIN SA SMALLHOLDER FARMER OF THE YEAR CATEGORY.
Although Buyisiwe did not walk away as the winner, he seized this opportunity to increase his agricultural knowledge. He paid careful attention to the videos showing the farming operations of all the other finalists in the various categories. He also chatted with farmers to hear what they do that would help him improve his farming enterprise. This passionate farmer dreams of excellence and always strives to improve from one season to the next.
Buyisiwe’s father farmed on a farm near Volksrust. He and his siblings all had to help on the farm from an early age. After leaving school, he stayed on the farm and worked there for five years. He then exchanged the farm life for the bustling city, Johannesburg, where he built and installed petrol tanks at petrol stations for four years.
Then he changed his career and worked as a driver delivering frozen goods. He soon saw a business opportunity and bought his own truck. This delivery operation is still operating in Daggakraal, where he now lives. In this period, he also worked at a scrapyard, where he saw another business opportunity and soon started his own scrapyard, a business he has since given to his son.
At this stage, Buyisiwe’s brother started pulling him into his farming enterprise, and soon, Buyisiwe dreamed of farming on his own. He started buying farming equipment and when he returned to farming, he already had his own tractor, disc and planter.
His brother has played a huge part in his growth as a farmer, but it is the assistance and advice from the Farmer Development team that have helped him become a successful farmer. He joined the Job Fund Maize Project of Grain SA in 2018 and made sure he seized the opportunities the programme offered to increase his agricultural knowledge.
Once he started applying the correct agricultural practices, he realised that farming is profitable – and profit meant he could grow his farming operation and plant more hectares. And more hectares mean more work opportunities for the community who are employed by him in season.
WHAT KEEPS YOU GOING IN TOUGH TIMES?
If there is a bad year and I don’t make money, I must keep going because it’s my business. I have built this business up from scratch and I own implements, so I must continue. It is also my passion, so I have to keep going.
WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN?
To rip my fields! You need to have space in your soil for the roots to go wide and deep. The other advice that has improved my yield was about plant population – to not plant too close to each other. If the plants have enough space for nutrients and water, then you have a good chance of realising a good yield.
HOW CAN WE MOTIVATE THE YOUTH TO FARM?
Mentor them, be an example to them and show them that there is joy in farming. Tell them about the challenges and fulfilment of seeing crops grow from a seed.
NAME THREE TOP TIPS FOR FELLOW FARMERS:
Farm: Vuka community property
Nearest town: Volksrust
Region: Mpumalanga
Size: Planted 30 ha soybeans (22 ha on communal land, 2 ha on leased land) and 2 ha drybeans
Type of farming operation: Mixed – crops (soybeans and drybeans) and some cattle and chickens.
PGP'S CONTRIBUTION
Training courses completed:
A mentor’s view:
Timon Filter, mentor at the Louwsburg regional office, says Buyisiwe is a farmer who is striving for excellence. ‘He truly has a mind and a heart for agriculture. His is a success story of profitability in farming.’ Timon is very proud of this passionate farmer, who always listens to advice. ‘He improves every year and becomes more confident in growing soybeans. He wants his fields to reach their potential and isn’t happy when it doesn’t happen. He also doesn’t let a bad year affect his passion for farming.’
Publication: April 2025
Section: Pula/Imvula
