The littered, potholed municipal road leading to Gladys 'Nana' Towbola's farm near Irene, Gauteng, could not be in sharper contrast to the smoothly run small-scale poultry operation and its dynamic owner. Towbola was born in Nigeria 44 years ago, but has called South Africa home for the past 32 years. For the past 13 of those she has been running her poultry business, Peezel Farms, where she sells day-old chicks, broilers, and eggs. She has also trained over 500 small-scale farmers.
"In the 1980s, my father, who's a gynaecologist, was invited to open a practice in South Africa, and the family moved here," she explains.
After matriculating, Towbola obtained a degree in Animal Science at Canterbury University in Christchurch, New Zealand, and also completed a few courses in business management. An entrepreneur by nature, she went on to run several small businesses such as a hair salon and an Internet café, while simultaneously starting a family.
Her passion for agriculture never left her, however, and in 2009, she finally received her chance to begin farming when her husband, Prosper Momabahgan, bought the land near Irene for her.
"I received no government support and I believe this was one of the reasons I succeeded. I had to work hard for everything I have today."
She does, however, enjoy excellent support from her husband, who is lecturer of electrical engineering at the Vaal University of Technology and oversees many of the farming activities for her. "This helps free me up to host workshops for other smallscale growers every two to three weeks."
Though poultry production is Peezel Farms' main focus, the couple also run a few cattle and goats.
SIMILARITIES BETWEEN BROILERS AND LAYERS
Denne historien er fra May 27 2022-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
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Denne historien er fra May 27 2022-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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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.
