20-year old female farmer feeds the country and supplies to big wholesalers
- An inspiring young farmer from Limpopo is growing green peppers and providing for numerous national wholesalers
- Mahlatse Matlakana (20) started farming green peppers for fun but made a huge success of herself in the process
- Mahlatse now owns an 8-ha farm and employs people from her community
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20-year-old South African Mahlatse Matlakana has a unique passion for green peppers. She rents an 8-ha farm on which she grows high-quality green peppers.
Mahlatse proudly produces fresh green peppers for 4 national food wholesalers in South Africa.
Johannesburg Fresh Produce Market, Goseame Wholesalers and Boxer Wholesalers in Polokwane, and a Fresh Produce Market in Musina are her big clients.
According to a report by the Newcastle Advertiser, Mahlatse says her love for farming is more of a bittersweet love story.
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Mahlatse grew up in Arrie Village, Limpopo. The inspiring young woman began working on farms in her neighbourhood when she was only 15 years old.
She worked to support her mother and younger siblings. Her mother was struggling to find work at the time. Mahlatse worked during school holidays.
In 2016, Mahlatse finished her high school career and was torn between pursuing a career in law or following her heart and going into farming.
Applying for a Law Degree seemed like the right thing to do, so I did and I was accepted. However, I decided to take a gap year and farm green peppers for fun.
Fun turned into a real profession, and Matlakana started building a wonderful future for herself.
Fast forward 5 years and Mahlatse is a successful young farmer in her own right.
I registered my company and with the support of some Good Samaritans in my community, I managed to lease a bigger plot at a cheaper rate, and they also allowed me to use their farming equipment at no cost at all.
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Mahlatse now gives jobs to people from her community on her 8-hectare green pepper farm.
Briefly.co.za learned that members of the community heard of Mahlatse hard work and dedication and they decided to contribute to her farm.
Construction engineering company Basil Read donated an irrigation system and a water pump.
I am very confident about the future and I hope one day I’ll be able to open a training centre for the youth in my community and teach them about farming.
And so, another young black female empowers herself, motivating other women to do the same.
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Source: Briefly News
