Bhefika Matshenja of Inhlakanipho Projects and Farms, winner of the Star of Buhle Award for 2019, says that by implementing sound management principles, such as reinvesting profits, he has been able to see his business grow.
Before venturing into farming, Bhefika Matshenja of Inhlakanipho Projects and Farms, near Soweto, worked as a carpenter. However, when he was retrenched, he decided it might be time to consider a career in farming.
“I was reluctant to farm at first, because I never got to see the glory in farming when I was growing up. My parents, who were farmers, never succeeded in becoming commercial farmers.
“They farmed vegetables and maize on a piece of land in Lufhereng in Doornkop, southwest of Johannesburg.
“They leased the land from the City of Johannesburg from 2001 to 2005, but due to lack of support they couldn’t grow their farming operation,” he says.
Matshenja decided to forge ahead regardless, and began his farming journey in 2006, when he became a middleman for buying and selling chickens. This allowed him to build his market, which served him well when he decided to expand his business.
Poultry was his first choice, says the 34-year-old Matshenja, because it is a product that offers relatively quick turnover. This is a bonus for someone who is just starting a business and needs to build up a healthy cash flow.
There is also a good market for chicken in South Africa, as it is the main source of animal protein for those in poorer communities.
He started out by buying layers and broilers, which he sold at the side of a main road in Soweto.
“I was so impressed with the profits I could make selling between 50 and 100 chickens a day, that I decided I had to expand. In 2009, I started doing market research on how I could grow and establish a formal business. I found out about Buhle Academy, and registered for the broiler production, farm management and environmental control courses. I graduated in 2010,’’ he says.
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