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May 2025
WHEN THE TIME CAME FOR NKOSINATHI DUNCAN HADEBE TO RETIRE FROM HIS CAREER AS A POLICEMAN, HE REALISED THAT HE DID NOT WANT TO SIT AT HOME DOING NOTHING. HE NEEDED A WAY TO STILL EARN AN INCOME. THE MEMORY OF HIS PARENTS PLANTING MAIZE, GAVE HIM THE IDEA FOR THIS NEXT CHAPTER IN HIS LIFE.
Duncan is now a dedicated farmer, who became the Grain SA/Land Bank Smallholder Farmer of the Year in 2023. This award showed the 61-year-old that hard work pays off and made him even more determined to grow as a farmer.
He is also a keen cattle farmer and a member of the Eastborn Stockowners Association. He rents 250 ha of commercial grazing land. This has proved to be a worthwhile investment for growing the weaner production side of his business.
When choosing a career, farming is usually not at the top of the list for the youth as it isn’t seen as a glamorous office job. Duncan is trying to change this in the Newcastle area in KwaZulu-Natal, where he farms on communal land.
Farming has presented him with an opportunity to help not only his own son, but other young people as well. ‘There are no jobs available in this area and I can teach them how to farm – how to plant maize and work with cattle. This way, they can earn an income.’
He currently has five young people under his wing and is showing them the farming ropes. In addition, three more will join him for the upcoming season. He believes that keeping young people busy and close to nature steers them away from negative influences. ‘They are also the future of agriculture.’
Graeme Engelbrecht and Duncan Hadebe.
WHY DO YOU LOVE FARMING?
It’s wonderful to be my own boss and to have a job where you can see results. I love producing maize, as I can see the results of my hard work. You see the growth and the same with the cattle – I can see the progress as the animals grow. The crime in our area is the only bad thing about farming. I have to pay people to protect my crop.
WHO HAS HELPED YOU BECOME SUCCESSFUL?
The PGP team’s input has made a huge difference. When I joined Grain SA, I planted only 2 ha of maize. The meetings and training from the Farmer Development Programme have really helped me in terms of crop production. They have shown the process from the beginning – how to start planting maize and what to do once it’s planted until marketing. This is why I want to help others.
WHAT MAKES YOU A GOOD FARMER?
Perseverance, passion and listening to advice.
A WINNER’S TOP TIPS FOR DEVELOPING FARMERS:
Farm: Communal land adjacent to the Osizweni Township
Nearest town: Newcastle
Region: KwaZulu-Natal
Size: Planted 26 ha white maize, 4 ha yellow maize and 7 ha drybeans
Type of farming operation: Mixed – crops (maize and drybeans) and livestock (mixed breed of Brahman and Beefmaster cattle).
PGP'S CONTRIBUTION
Training courses completed:
A mentor’s view:
Graeme Engelbrecht, regional development manager in the Dundee office, says what sets Duncan apart from some other farmers is his personal passion for farming. ‘He is very determined and driven, even under difficult farming circumstances where his enterprises and different lands are spread out. This makes management and control very difficult. Much of what he has to work with is hired from others. His growth has been through his own hard work and desire.’
Publication: May 2025
Section: Pula/Imvula
Author: BY LOUISE KUNZ, ASSISTANT EDITOR
