Presented by: World Farmer Story
My name is Sipho Mthembu, born and raised in a tiny village near Qamata, in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. I grew up in a mud house, where rain leaked through the roof, and firewood was our only source of warmth. We didn’t have much, but we had land – a patch of earth given to my grandfather after apartheid, dry and tough, but ours.
The Beginning – A Boy and a Hoe
I was only 12 when I first held a hoe in my hand. My father used to wake me before sunrise, and we would walk barefoot into the fields. He would say, “Sipho, the soil will never betray you if you respect it.” But I didn’t believe him then. I wanted to go to the city, wear suits, and work in an office. Farming looked like poverty.
Then my father died in 2004. Suddenly, it was just me, my mother, and my two younger sisters. I dropped out of school and picked up the hoe once again — but this time with purpose. We had two skinny cows, four chickens, and one broken plough.
Years of Struggle – No Rain, No Food, No Help
From 2005 to 2011, farming was survival. No rain for months. Seeds were too expensive. No tractors, no irrigation, no markets. We ate what we grew. Some seasons, we barely had enough. I sold green mealies (maize) by the roadside, walked 12 kilometers to town, and returned with a sack of fertilizer on my back.
People laughed. Friends left. Even my uncle told me, “Sipho, sell the land, go to Johannesburg. You’re wasting your youth.”
But my heart was tied to this land. My father was buried here. My dreams were planted here.
The Turning Point – Cooperatives and Knowledge
In 2012, I met an old farmer named Mr. Dlamini, who introduced me to the idea of farming cooperatives. He said, “Alone, we survive. Together, we grow.” I joined his group. We pooled money to buy better seeds, irrigation pipes, and tools. For the first time, I learned about crop rotation, organic composting, and pest control.
We attended a free government workshop on climate-smart farming, and I started planting spinach, carrots, sweet potatoes, and beans, not just maize.
My land began to speak back.
In 2015, I made my first profit – R18,000 (~$1,000 USD) from vegetables. It felt like gold. I fixed our roof. Bought school shoes for my sisters. Paid off debt. And for the first time, I saw a future in the soil.
Success – The Harvest of Patience
From 2017 to 2023, my small farm turned into a thriving 4-hectare enterprise. I now own:
A small tractor, paid in full.
A solar-powered borehole for irrigation.
Seven cows, twenty chickens, and two goats.
A greenhouse tunnel for tomatoes and herbs.
A small truck to deliver to nearby supermarkets and schools.
I trained three young farmers from my village. I started an organic farming YouTube channel in isiXhosa to teach others. My monthly income now crosses R25,000 to R40,000. I even built a brick house for my mother, and my sisters are both in college.
My story is not of sudden success. It is a story of dust, sweat, heartbreak, and faith. Farming gave me more than money — it gave me purpose, respect, and peace.
The Family Behind the Farmer
My mother now manages the chickens. My wife handles accounts and social media. My kids know how to plant spinach and feed calves. We pray together in the field before every harvest.
Farming is not just what I do — it is who we are.
A Message to the World:
You don’t need big land to dream big. You need courage, patience, and love for the earth.
To everyone reading this — support small farmers. Share their stories. Buy local. Listen to their journey.
Because when you support a farmer, you grow more than crops.
You grow a future.
