Limpopo women farmers grow thriving businesses and create jobs through agriculture

AGRICULTURE

Vhengani Ndou with an employee of Onay Farming which she started in 2019 at the age of 25.

Image: Supplied.

As South Africa celebrates Youth Month, two young women from Limpopo are demonstrating how agriculture can create jobs, drive economic growth and strengthen the country’s food security.

Petunia Molea and Vhengani Ndou are among a new generation of female agricultural entrepreneurs who are building successful farming businesses while creating employment opportunities in rural communities.

Both women supply tomatoes to Tiger Brands, contributing to the production of one of South Africa’s most recognised household products, All Gold Tomato Sauce.

Their journeys highlight the growing role young women are playing in the agricultural sector at a time when food security, job creation and rural economic development remain critical national priorities.

Molea, 36, from Gumbu Village near Musina, began her farming journey with a small maize garden at home.

Inspired by her mother’s passion for farming, she established Godzwana General Farming in 2017 when she was just 27 years old.

Petunia Molea walks her land at Godzwana General Farming which employs two permanent employees and 15 seasonal workers.

Image: Supplied.

Starting with a single hectare of land, Molea steadily expanded her operation by reinvesting earnings from each harvest.

Today, her farm spans five hectares and employs two permanent staff members and 15 seasonal workers.

She believes agriculture offers meaningful opportunities for young people willing to commit to the hard work required.

Petunia Molea, a young woman farmer from Gumbu Village in Limpopo started Godzwana General Farming in 2017 when she was 27 years old. The business grew from one to 5 hectares of land and today, she employs two permanent employees and 15 seasonal workers.

Image: Supplied.

“Farming is not easy, but with patience, commitment and hard work, it is possible to build something meaningful and create opportunities for yourself and others,” Molea said.

Several kilometres away in Muswodi Village, Ndou has built her own thriving agricultural enterprise after making a bold career choice.

Although she qualified as a boilermaker, the 32 year old chose to pursue farming instead and established Onay Farming in 2019.

Despite challenges in securing access to finance, she has grown the business into an operation that employs five permanent workers and approximately 30 seasonal employees.

Her farm not only supplies tomatoes to Tiger Brands but also provides practical workplace experience to agriculture students from the University of Venda, helping to develop the next generation of agricultural professionals.

“Agriculture offers young people the opportunity to build a future for themselves while creating opportunities for others. Success does not happen overnight, but with patience, perseverance and a willingness to work hard, it is possible to build a sustainable business and make a lasting impact in your community,” Ndou said.

Vhengani Ndou, owner of Onay Farming, employs five permanent employees and around 30 seasonal workers. Her farm supplies tomatoes to Tiger Brands and provides practical workplace experience for agriculture students from the University of Venda.

Image: Supplied.

Both farmers participate in the Tiger Brands Hulisani Agricultural Development Programme, which supports emerging farmers through initiatives designed to improve productivity, sustainability and long term business growth.

The programme forms part of the company’s broader commitment to strengthening local agricultural value chains while supporting emerging producers who have the potential to scale their operations and create jobs.

Maanda Milubi, Director of Enterprise Supplier Development and Transformation at Tiger Brands, said young farmers are critical to the future of South Africa’s agricultural sector.

“Young farmers have an important role to play in strengthening South Africa's food security, create jobs and contribute to economic growth,” Milubi said.

“Through the Tiger Brands Hulisani Agricultural Development Programme, we aim to provide emerging farmers with support that can help build sustainable businesses for the future and strengthen local agricultural value chains that support our business and the communities in which we operate.”

The stories of Molea and Ndou demonstrate the opportunities agriculture can offer young South Africans, particularly women seeking to establish sustainable businesses while making a meaningful contribution to their communities.

At a time when youth unemployment remains one of South Africa’s biggest socio economic challenges, their success highlights how agriculture can serve as a powerful vehicle for entrepreneurship, skills development and employment creation.

Their achievements also underline the growing importance of partnerships between established corporates and emerging farmers in building a more resilient and inclusive agricultural sector.

As Youth Month shines a spotlight on the aspirations and potential of South Africa’s young people, Molea and Ndou stand as examples of how determination, perseverance and support can transform a small farming venture into a business that creates jobs, supports communities and helps feed the nation.

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