Piet Phahlane, along with his son, Richard, and Aaron Makena and his sister-in-law, Elizabeth, are business partners of a livestock farming operation on Melkhoutfontein in Rust de Winter near Bela-Bela in Limpopo. They farm cattle, goats and sheep.
The operation was started in 1992 by Phahlane, Makena and his brother, Piet, who has since died and whose share in the business was taken over by his wife, Elizabeth. They began by leasing the land from the then Department of Land Affairs, and now lease it from the newly established Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development.
From the start, their lease agreement has been precarious. Initially, they were able to obtain an agreement for only one year at a time. In 2014, this was extended to three years. According to Phahlane, they have requested a longer lease duration from the department.
“Uncertainty regarding a long-term lease agreement is a detrimental factor to the business as this prevents us from making any investments on the farm as we grow,” he explains.
They have suffered many losses, especially of small stock, due to predation and stock theft. If they could get a longer lease agreement, they would be able to start investing in proper fencing to better protect their animals, he says.
CATTLE BREEDING
The duties of running and managing the farm are shared among the group, but they are still in the process of better defining each person’s role as they formalise their business structure. However, says Phahlane, planning ahead is vital as it ensures that day-to-day operations run smoothly. To this end, meetings are held on a weekly basis. When they first started farming, their commercial herd consisted of mixed-breed cattle, but they later started focusing on Bonsmara and Nguni genetics. Makena says they chose the Bonsmara because of its high-quality beef and its resistance to local diseases.
Denne historien er fra February 21, 2020-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 February 21, 2020-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.
