Sowing the right seeds 

Linda Tom sat down with the Director of Servicios Empresaviales Holdings (SE Holdings) Mpumi Maesela for a chat about women in agriculture and how young black farmers can make a name for themselves. 

Who is Mpumi Maesela?  

I am the director of Servicios Empresaviales Holdings (SE Holdings), a business helping to sustainably support all farmers holistically. I have over 15 years of Development Finance experience, providing financial, infrastructure funding, and technical support to more than 100 farmers focusing on aggregating crops and grains across the African continent. SE Holdings partnered with Tiger Brands to join the Agricultural Aggregator Programme in 2020 to expand and solidify the support that we provide to Tiger Brands farmers across KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, North West, Mpumalanga, and Free State.  

What agricultural challenges do you face as a black businesswoman?  

Access to finance, market access, and access to agricultural infrastructure and resources are a problem for many farmers. However, as a black businesswoman, it comes down to having to continuously prove yourself and the opportunities you come across. Given the historic discrimination in South Africa, many black women are faced with less opportunities to thrive. However, over the last few years, there has been an uptake in black women in agriculture and having meaningful and impactful roles in the industry. SE Holdings has built a strong network with key industry players across the agri-value chain for support and sustainability of its business. This has enabled us to discern the requirements needed to secure markets for the emerging commercial farmers through the Tiger Brands Agricultural Aggregator Programme.  

How does farming affect gender roles?  

Women who work in the agriculture sector are still battling the perception that farming is a ‘man’s job’. We cannot deny the gender bias that is still prevalent in many cultures and industries whereby patriarchal and traditional values still influence the perception of gender roles. Women who are expected to attend to household tasks are not always encouraged to take up leadership roles, and aspects such as prejudice, sexism, and discrimination from both men and women are generated by the idea that agriculture is a man’s job. However, with having more women present in the agriculture industry, it has a greater impact in gender empowerment and hopefully overall production. The impact of a woman’s income has a much greater impact on her family and community.  

How big a role does mentorship play in establishing new farmers?  

I believe very strongly in holistic technical mentorship and coaching or providing support for the farmers. Mentorship also plays a role in solving the economics of agriculture, ensuring quality produce, and solving offtake challenges–a major opportunity for smallholder farmers, who would generally have their crop rot in their fields due to lack of offtake opportunities.  

What skills do you feel are most lacking among black farmers?  

It is not skills as much as it is access to resources and access to information. Giving access to market, funding, necessary skills, and mentorship to the farmers that would ordinarily not have access and opportunities to aggregator programmes is life changing. South Africa’s agricultural education sector is failing to produce a new wave of farmers and agriculturalists, with fewer youngsters being drawn to study agriculture as a career. In addition, colleges and universities are producing under-experienced job candidates, while a lack of training among unskilled and semi-skilled workers is preventing the sector from building from the bottom up.  

What advice would you give to young black farmers?  

One needs to understand the fundamentals of agriculture: commitment, patience, discipline, and focus. As farmers actively managing the whole value chain of aggregating and supplying the best crop there is, this should be the goal in mind. Surround yourself with people who can support you and you can reach out to, to learn and grow your expertise. With looking for the best suited opportunities and being confident in yourself and skills, there will be a moment where you shine.  

Do you think the government takes farmers seriously?  

Yes, the government is aware of the importance of the agriculture sector, not just in South Africa, but for the region. The collaborative support that the private and government sectors have provided for many farmers has created incredible opportunities. There is still room for governments to build credibility over time through consistent commitment to implementing policies efficiently and effectively.