In 2010, Tembi Xamesi was awarded the 1 165ha Riversdale farm near Tylden in the Eastern Cape via the state land reform programme. He has made steady progress with livestock and a cash-crop lucerne initiative, but a lack of title has been a serious hindrance to further development. Mike Burgess visited him.
Tembi Xamesi is grateful to have been awarded the farm Riversdale near Tylden in the Eastern Cape as well as R3 million from the state’s Recapitalisation and Development Programme (RECAP) in 2012. But, on the other hand, he estimates that he has personally invested an additional R5 million in a farm that does not belong to him.
To make matters worse, Xamesi is obliged to pay the state a rental of more than R130 000 a year because Riversdale was acquired for R7 million via the Proactive Land Acquisition Strategy (PLAS) land reform programme.
Despite these financial constraints, Xamesi has made significant progress and currently farms 160 Dohne Merino ewes, 80 commercial Bonsmara cows, 30 crossbred beef cows, and 130 crossbred female goats. The livestock is supported by 4ha of oats and 50ha of lucerne under irrigation. All surplus lucerne is sold as a cash crop.
RIVERSDALE
Xamesi grew up in the communal areas near Illenge, between Tylden and Lady Frere, where his family ran a number of cattle, sheep and goats. They also had title to 50ha, on which they still plant maize while contract-ploughing in the area.
The year 2010 saw both joy and heartache for the family: they were awarded Riversdale, but Xamesi’s father, Stanford, died, and never had the opportunity to farm here.
Despite their continued involvement at Illenge, the Xamesi family relocated their livestock – 40 Merino sheep, 30 crossbred beef cattle and 35 crossbred goats – to Riversdale the following year.
Denne historien er fra October 19, 2018-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
Denne historien er fra October 19, 2018-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
Syngenta Seedcare celebrates a decade of innovation
Syngenta's ambition is to enable their customers' investments to grow in healthy soil from treated seeds to young plants through innovation and collaboration, writes Magda du Toit.
Agri workers shine at Western Cape awards
Lindie-Alet van Staden, a garden and olive orchard manager at L’Ormarins Wine Estate in Franschhoek, was crowned as the Western Cape Prestige Agri-Worker of 2024 at a gala event recently held near Paarl.
Small and large farmers recognised at grain awards
The annual Grain SA/Syngenta awards ceremony bears testimony to the quality of farmers in the grain industry.
Growing partnerships: Fedgroup's flexible and innovative approach
Janine Ryan spoke to Warren Winchester, general manager of impact investing at Fedgroup, about why the company became involved in agriculture, and what it offers farmers and their immediate communities.
Why fish farms fail, and how to avoid becoming a statistic
The popularity of launching fish farms is not matched by their success. Leslie Ter Morshuizen, owner of Aquaculture Solutions, explores the factors that cause most of these businesses to go under.
Where history and modernity meet in a luxurious setting
Brian Berkman kept his eyes peeled for ghosts in the oldest continuously run hotel in South Africa, but all he found was a fabulous two-night stay.
THE HITCHING POST
I'm a stylish elderly lady with a radiant glow and a good sense of humour that keeps me young at heart.
Cutworms: check the weeds on your fields!
Zunel van Eeden explains why understanding the ecological interplay between cutworms and weeds is crucial for effective pest management. Producers should disrupt the life cycle of cutworms to minimise crop damage.
Does high-density grazing mimic grazing patterns of game?
In their paper on high-density grazing in Southern Africa, professors Angelinus Franke and Elmarie Kotzé from the Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences at the University of the Free State say high-density grazing systems may not accurately reflect natural ecosystems. Roelof Bezuidenhout reports.
Global grain outlook: 2024/25 marketing season
In its latest summer crops report, the Crop Estimates Committee says South African farmers intend to plant 4,47 million hectares of summer grains and oilseeds in the 2024/25 season, up 1% from the previous season. As South Africa exports maize and soya bean, Annelie Coleman reports on the latest trends in the international grain and oilseed markets, amid fluctuations in weather conditions and ongoing armed conflicts.
