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OPINION | Farmer from Matatiele wins award for rural-based small business: What started as a side hustle for Nonopa Tenza ended up in her winning the 2022 Inaugural National Presidential Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises award
In South Africa, agriculture is central to fostering economic growth, reducing poverty and improving food security in the Southern African region. Estimates suggest that more than 70% of the rural population depends on agriculture for their livelihoods and the Mordor Intelligence report:suggests that, by 2035, the demand for food is projected to double.
A greater demand from a rising middle-class population and the increasing need for food security is driving the growth of the agriculture sector and productive farmers are worth their weight in gold. But entering and scaling farming production is not always an easy task. The 2022 Inaugural National Presidential SMME Awards, established by the department of small business development and its agencies, the Small Enterprise Development Agency, the Small Enterprise Finance Agency and in partnership with the European Union and 22 On Sloane, celebrated the determination of South African small, medium and micro enterprises. Ltd, an entity run by Nonopa Tenza, took the inaugural award for rural-based SMMEs. Based in the Ongeluksnek farming region of the Matatiele area in the Eastern Cape, Kevinot Farming operates a 406-hectare farm focused primarily on livestock and crops. Tenza and her husband started the enterprise as a side hustle in 2017, kicking off with livestock and diversifying into crops in 2019. Tenza has since left a successful career in corporate and investment banking and has taken over the full operation of the farm. The business operates out of a government-leased farm originally leased by Tenza’s father-in-law more than 35 years ago. After his death in 2014, the farm was underused until Tenza and her husband agreed to start farming the land and grow it to its full potential. “We are passionate about farming and are serial entrepreneurs who have run several businesses over the years,” says Tenza. “Starting a farming business was both an entrepreneurial and social endeavour. We saw an opportunity to carry on a family legacy as well as utilise underutilised land to create jobs and fight the triple challenge of poverty, unemployment, and inequality in our area. “We leveraged our education and extensive corporate experience in accounting, finance, and banking as well as scientific research and development for the benefit of the area where we come from.” Kevinot Farming runs a beef production breeding herd of F1 Angus cows, pedigree Angus bulls, and mixed Dohne Merino and Dormer sheep. They also grow yellow maize, sugar beans, lucerne and teff grasses. The business started small and has steadily grown to full capacity over the years because the demand for the produce keeps increasing. Tenza’s focus since taking over the full reins of the business has been on establishing business processes, market segment analysis, stakeholder mapping and engagement, as well as strategy development and this has led to the business securing a lucrative maize offtake agreement with a large US multinational organisation with competitive pricing. The business has also invested in infrastructure development, growing livestock numbers as well as fully using the arable land. Kevinot Farming has benefitted extensively from support from the provincial department of agriculture through the local extension office, support from the Small Enterprise Development Agency and a farmer in the area who provides mentorship. The enterprise in turn gives back by assisting local farmers with market access and mechanisation services. Kevinot Farming has not only created permanent jobs but also offers up to 40 seasonal jobs as well as supporting micro-enterprises, because some of the workers prefer to be paid in either maize or beans to sell locally. Although issues of security of land tenure, access to clean water, electricity and roads, climate change and limited land for expansion are of concern to Tenza and her business, she remains positive about the future of her farm and farming in general in South Africa. “There is renewed interest in agriculture from women, young people and people who previously did not have access to agriculture, our government needs to harness this interest,” says Tenza. “Agriculture is a way of creating jobs and we need to offer awareness and training around agriculture from grassroots level such as schools as well as training land beneficiaries on the necessary skills to run productive and profitable farms.” The views expressed are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Mail & Guardianaccess to all our best journalism, subscriber-only newsletters, and a digital copy of the printed
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Farmer from Matatiele wins award for rural-based small businessOPINION | Farmer from Matatiele wins award for rural-based small business - What started as a side hustle for Nonopa Tenza ended up in her winning the 2022 Inaugural National Presidential Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises award
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