Well, if you'd ask Tumelo Pedi, a former fitness instructor turned farmer, he would answer "no". 

According to him, both require patience and hard work to achieve optimum results. 

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Pedi farms just outside Bloemfontein in the Free State on a farm that he acquired through the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) in the province.

He started applying for land in 2015 when he moved from Johannesburg to Bloemfontein.

“It was quite challenging [to acquire land] because I had been applying from late 2015 up until 2019. Every year I was applying to five, six or seven farms. Some of them were rejected, while some of them were not responded to.

“But with each and every application I kept on improving. So, I think that was what really helped [me to get a successful application in the end.]

“The process was definitely not easy, but it was worth it.”

Pedi shares that even though he never planned on becoming a farmer, once the agriculture bug bit him, it was difficult to not venture into the farming sector.

The 30-year-old farmer farms with cattle and sheep and also buys and sells sheep and goats. In conjunction with this, he plants lucerne and teff for feed for his livestock.

He attributes his success to not only his wife and children, but also to the DALRRD, his neighbours, and more specifically his mentor and hero, Laurens Schlebusch, for his continuous assistance and support. 

Pedi’s advice to up-and-coming farmers is, “it’s not easy. As jy ‘n boer moet wees dan moet jy wikkel, jy moet nie slaap nie. You must really be proactive… and also build relations [with the people around you].

“Farming is not a one-man entity. Farmers need each other. You must be trustworthy and an honest person.

“The younger generation must also understand that farming is not a lifestyle. It’s not a holiday. It’s a business – you must treat it as a business and you must respect the business.”

In a statement that highlights the DALRRD's efforts to ensure the success of young farmers through various training programmes, amongst others, the department shares that it has been making strides in the empowerment of youth in the province, and highlights Pedi as one of its success stories.

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