By developing and establishing partnerships, Luleka Mbete’s business, LM Holdings, has initiated a system that brings sorghum producers in the Eastern Cape together to link them to funding, technical expertise, markets and training.
Luleka Mbete established LM Holdings in 2009 to help rural businesses gain access to entrepreneurship opportunities by linking them to resources.
She says it was her own struggle to obtain production financing in time for planting that inspired her to create alternative solutions for herself and other farmers facing similar challenges.
Her journey in farming started with her plan to establish a co-operative for sorghum farming on communal land in Willowvale, in the Amathole District Municipality in the Eastern Cape.
Through LM Holdings, she received a grant from the Development Bank of Southern Africa for fencing and an irrigation system. She also obtained funding support from the Mbhashe Municipality to build a dam, and her initial business plan was supported by the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC).
Unfortunately, the funds were often delayed and, ultimately, insufficient to get the project off the ground. In 2011, she abandoned the idea and left to pursue a career in the corporate world.
But her entrepreneurial spirit refused to settle into the comfortable and predictable life of being a salaried employee.
“In 2015, I left to start my own property business, and did some work in the petroleum industry. Eventually, in 2016, I found my way back to farming,” she recalls.
A NEW START
In June 2016, LM Holdings approached United National Breweries, a leading manufacturer of traditional African sorghum beer (umqombothi), with a proposal to become a BEE partner and also a beneficiary of the business’s corporate social investment programme. They reached an agreement in September 2016.
At the time, the brewery was owned by Diageo, a global alcoholic beverages company with a large collection of brands across spirits and beer categories, including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, J&B, Smirnoff, Captain Morgan and Guinness.
Denne historien er fra May 24, 2019-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra May 24, 2019-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
New farmers' seedling pitfalls
Inexperienced farmers may be tempted to grow seedlings from seed themselves, but they have much to gain by trusting a seedling grower at a nursery to perform this task for them instead
South African avocado production: a success story
Avocado production in South Africa has expanded markedly since the industry's humble beginnings over 80 years ago. From a small grove planted in 1938 in what was then Nelspruit, the industry has blossomed to seven million trees planted on 20 000ha. Dr Guy Witney, project manager at Great Brak Avos, spoke to Annelie Coleman about the country's avocado production.
Unlocking value through livestock exports
Exporting livestock might sound like a daunting business that's better left for big companies, but Gerrie Ferreira, who farms near Oudtshoorn in the Western Cape, has been doing it successfully for almost 30 years, sometimes in partnership with other breeders. He spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the huge potential this market holds, and offers some advice for farmers who are contemplating going this route.
An agribusiness's dedication to community upliftment
For agribusiness NWK, located in Lichtenburg, North West, corporate social investment is an important part of creating a positive influence alongside financial returns. Johan Bezuidenhout, NWK’s group manager of corporate marketing and communication, spoke to Annelie Coleman about why the company chooses to invest millions of rands in the area it operates in every year.
Empowering dreams, transforming lives
Since its launch in 2013, the Agri's Got Talent competition has revolutionised the lives of many farmworkers by unlocking their hidden talents and fostering a culture of empowerment. Glenneis Kriel spoke to various finalists about how the contest has changed their lives.
Foreign investment: agriculture maintains its appeal
South Africa remains a popular destination for foreign investors, despite an often negative outlook from its citizens. It is a gateway to Africa, and with its counterseasonal production to the Northern Hemisphere and favourable weather, local agriculture is especially well placed to attract foreign interest, bringing with it hope for rural communities
The real value and message of COP29 for SA agriculture
While the 2024 Conference of the Parties may have disappointed those who hoped for real progress, it's more important for South African agriculture to highlight its role in carbon mitigation
Improving efficiencies in feed and grain milling
Bühler, a Swiss-based company that provides solutions and equipment for various industries, including food and animal feed processing, has pledged that by 2025, it will deliver scalable solutions that will reduce energy, waste and water by 50% in the value chains of its customers.
Tips for better olive production
At an SA Olive Association field day in November, industry experts shared ways to improve olive production efficiencies, from soil preparation to harvesting.
More effort needed to protect vulnerable cheetah
On International Cheetah Day, commemorated every year on 4 December, emphasis was placed on the vulnerability of the species.
