This is according to Mmakgomo Huma, a young farmer from Rustenburg in the North West. 

Despite challenges and obstacles along the way, Huma is enjoying what she does and advises new farmers not to get discouraged by setbacks. 

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She farms with cattle, which includes Brahman, as well as goats and pigs on a farm that she inherited from her father who passed away in 2018.

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Some of the challenges that Huma is facing are a lack of funding for operational costs, crime and veld fires.

“Crime has been a huge challenge for me, where you find yourself raising livestock and the next thing you have nothing to really look up to.

“Fires break out when it comes to winter seasons. You’ll find a lot of times they will be burning and you’ll have to dig into your pocket and buy feed, [and] spend more than what you were supposed to spend on the farm.”

In spite of the above challenges, Huma says they have measures in place to protect themselves against crime. Stock theft units also do patrols on the farm on a regular basis in order to look at the conditions on the farm and to make sure that they are safe.

With regard to operational funds, Huma has been applying to the Department of Agriculture as well as the mining sector, amongst other relevant departments.

Nonetheless, Huma marks every day on the farm as an adventure filled with passion and determination.

“I enjoy learning so much because every day is an adventure, you learn new things. Even though there is a bit of routine work that you need to do, it’s an adventurous journey, I can say.

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 “Animals have feelings and emotions, so you can associate with them and communicate with them, and that for me is really exciting.”

Her message to new farmers is to remain strong despite the challenges and the red tape, and fight for the agricultural sector, “because an industry that feeds you is an industry that is worth fighting for”.

Huma further advises that new farmers should have a mentor who will help and assist them through the journey.

The provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development shared on its Facebook page that Huma was a beneficiary of MEC Desbo Mohono’s Bonsmara bull subsidy initiative.  Her bull has thus far produced over ten offspring.

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