In the heart of Dennilton, Limpopo, a family farming enterprise is blossoming under the leadership of Nthakgwane Makuwa, who is determined to continue his late father’s legacy. Despite facing numerous challenges, Makuwa, at 34 years old, has managed to turn things around for Makuwa JJ Farming, an agricultural business founded by his father, JJ Makuwa, with the aim of addressing food security and creating job opportunities for the community.
“My father taught us the importance of helping those in need and being a positive influence on others,” Makuwa shared during an interview with Vuk’uzenzele.
After the passing of his father, the 40-hectare farm, which had been focused on cultivating wheat, barley, and white beans, faced a tough period. Profitability and job creation became difficult to sustain.
However, Makuwa’s vision for the farm took it in a new direction. He expanded operations to include a wider variety of crops, such as green beans, cabbages, okra, tomatoes, and green peppers. His background as an electromechanical artisan helped him to implement practical solutions, but his love for the farm came from a desire to protect and expand his father’s legacy.
“When the irrigation system was on the verge of collapse, I knew I had to step in to prevent the farm from failing,” Makuwa explained.
To formalize his efforts, Makuwa registered Makuwa Latest (Pty) Ltd, continuing the legacy under his father’s company. To better equip himself for the journey ahead, he completed a plant production program at the Agriculture Research Council.
Now, the farm is organized into different zones, with crops including cotton, wheat, barley, white beans, hubbard squash, and spinach spread across its fields.
But the path to success wasn’t without its hurdles. In 2019, Makuwa faced a serious challenge with a defective irrigation system that threatened the farm’s survival. Fortunately, a R49,000 grant from the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) helped him replace the failing steel pipes with more durable plastic ones. Despite these improvements, Makuwa recalled the early difficulties: “Running the farm was not easy. We lost cabbages, barley, butternut, spinach, and beetroot.”
Still, the farm survived, and now thrives, providing much-needed jobs to the community. “The ability to generate employment and make a positive impact kept me motivated through the hard times,” Makuwa said proudly.
Today, Makuwa JJ Farming supplies fresh produce to local school feeding schemes, Choppies Super Market, and markets in Tshwane and Witbank. The farm also provides barley to global beverage giant, Heineken.
With five permanent workers and plans to hire 12 additional casual workers during harvest season, Makuwa’s vision is expanding. He hopes to revive the farm’s skills development program, grow their own seedlings, and acquire more equipment to increase productivity.
“I want to restore all the contracts my father once had and bring more people into farming,” Makuwa said, showing his drive to not only continue his father’s work but to make it bigger and better for future generations.
This heartwarming and inspiring story of Nthakgwane Makuwa’s dedication to his father’s legacy and community is bound to capture attention on Facebook, especially among those passionate about agriculture, entrepreneurship, and rural development.
