Licebo Harvest sows a passion for farming in young people on Mandela Day

On Friday, 18 July, scores of people, organisations and companies across South Africa and the world took at least 67 minutes out of their day to celebrate Mandela Day by giving back to different communities. On a horticultural farm in Roodeplaat, Pretoria, a group of young people gathered to immerse themselves in an industry they would otherwise not have access to.

“I just want a lot of kids to join agriculture, especially black kids. The pie is so massive, and there is space for young people in farming. So for me, the thinking is that if I can start today and teach someone else how to do this when they are still young, I’m sure in a couple of years, they will reap the rewards,” Vuyolwethu Mrwaba, founder of Lecibo Harvest, said.

Mrwaba, who started Licebo Harvest in 2022, just as the economic consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic were taking shape, opened the gates to her farm on the outskirts of Gauteng and welcomed learners from schools in the area to learn what it takes to run a successful agricultural business.

From preparing the soil for planting, to sowing seedlings, maintaining the crop and harvesting, the learners, most of them in Grade 12 at Pelotona Secondary School, immersed themselves in the world of farming under the winter sun.

Read more: Filling empty tummies in young communities on Mandela Day

Empowering the next generation

“I was born on a farm and have lived and worked on a farm my whole life. My father taught me to drive a tractor when I was four years old. But not everybody is as fortunate as me.

“Some young people want to get into farming, but they are not like me; they have not been exposed to farming in any way. That is why we must do things like this. I am over 60 now, it’s now time to pass on to the new generation,” veteran farmer Bertus Prinsloo said.

Prinsloo kicked off the day by teaching the learners how to safely use a tractor to turn the soil and prepare the ground for planting. At one point, he jumped off the tractor and asked the youngsters attentively watching his demonstration how many wanted to be farmers. A few hands tentatively shot up, after which he responded:

“You know the lekker part of being a farmer is seeing your things growing, but you know what the worst part is? Having your crop destroyed by the weather, by tsotsis, by pests. When you become a farmer, you must accept that there are many risks, but one thing I can say as a farmer is if you don’t take chances, you won’t succeed.”

For Lethabo, a 19-year-old Grade 12 learner, the risks associated with agriculture are something she is willing to shoulder.

“I’m in love with farming; I’ve loved it since I was in Grade 8. At home, we have a small portion of land where we have planted vegetables that we fertilise with leftover food. I love working in that garden, and it makes me think I can turn it into a future,” she said.

Lethabo said a lack of knowledge about how to finance a farm, where to find materials and how to enter the market was one of the major things standing in the way of her dreams of venturing into the agriculture industry.

“But at least now we know the basics, and that’s a good start,” Lethabo said.

Mrwata’s advice to the aspiring farmer was to start small. “Go to agricultural workshops and learn as much as you can. Many of them are free for young people,” she said.

Read more: We must honour Mandela by fighting the corruption in the heart of our democracy

When asked why she decided to open her farm for Mandela Day, Mrwata said: “Nelson Mandela left a legacy for us, be it in leadership or education. A lot of people are resilient because of that and think to themselves, ‘If he can do it, so can I’.

“If one of these young people sees me today and says I also want to become a farmer then I have won at least one person. I would have inspired someone to venture into agriculture.” DM