“Hard Work Pays”: SA Impressed As Self-Taught Limpopo Farmer Lands Deals With Major Retailers

• Wendy Moshakga started Serage Farms in Moletjie, Limpopo, in 2021 after two years of unemployment left her with no options
• She walked directly into stores with produce samples and secured supply contracts with Boxer, Pick 'n Pay, and Spar
• In 2025, she won the Rural Transformative Farmer of the Year Award and has since trained more than 700 aspiring farmers

Wendy Moshakga, 27, from Moletjie in Limpopo, turned unemployment into a retail farming success story that has left South Africa talking. Briefly News first shared her story on social media, where thousands of Mzansi residents poured into the comments. She built Serage Farms from scratch in 2021 and now supplies three of SA’s biggest retail chains.

She started with 50 broilers in a backyard chicken house and raised extra capital by collecting and recycling tin cans.

From a backyard to the shelves of major retailers

When she had enough to move forward, she shifted to vegetable farming and leased land in Blood River. Then she did what most small farmers never try. According to reports, she walked directly into stores, handed over samples of her fresh produce, and asked for a meeting. That bold move opened the door to supply deals with Boxer, Pick 'n Pay, and Spar.

Read also

"Love this method": SA stunned as Joburg woman feeds herself for whole week with R100 grocery haul

Getting in was not straightforward. Retailers required a consistent supply and strict quality standards. She kept showing up with fresh, well-presented produce until they said yes. She also tackled what other farmers avoid. Most skip cabbage in summer because of pests. Moshakga adapted her methods and grows it all year round, producing up to 20,000 heads a month during peak season.

Her farm now employs five permanent workers and supports students and graduates through hands-on training.

She also wrote a cabbage farming guidebook that sold more than 1,200 copies. Over 700 farmers have been trained at her farm. In 2025, she received the Rural Transformative Farmer of the Year Award.

South Africans in the comments were moved. One person said the country needs more of this kind of real growth. Others called her a role model and said her story proved that hard work still pays off in South Africa.

Read also

Eastern Cape entrepreneur turns ancient bone broth tradition into rural jobs for women

See the post by Briefly News below:

More about young farmers

• At just 26, Vryheid farmer Amahle Ngema is building a name for herself in commercial crop farming.
• A young farmer captivated social media users by sharing a video of his impressive take on a popular dance challenge, fusing two styles into one.
• A proud South African farmer headed online to celebrate investing in 40 hectares of farming land.

Source: Briefly News