INTERVIEW: Farmer and businesswoman Siphesihle Kwetana failed matric in 2013 but today she leases two farming properties and grows crops for Pick ‘n Pay, Spar, Food Lover’s Market and Ideal Veg. The award winning farmer also co-owns Siphe Development and Capacitation Agencyto the drawing board for young Kwetana.
The mother of two then noticed a gap in the agricultural industry in the province. Most of the grocery stores had a limited offering of veggies and those with a larger variety were selling it at exorbitant prices. “When I asked why, they explained that it was because the vegetables were being sourced from Port Elizabeth and KwaZulu Natal,” she says.
This revelation was like music to Kwetana’s ears. “Instead of retailers sourcing veggies elsewhere, I could grow the vegetables myself and supply them with it,” Kwetana explains.
By this time, Kwetana and Pachena had gotten married, and he helped her acquire land near Umthata Dam. This two-hectare plot she leases from a family to grow spinach.
Hillary, who is an agricultural engineer, installed an irrigation system on the family’s farm one day and his wife joined him. “On our visit, Siphesihle noticed the vacant land and immediately fell in love with it. Particularly because it was located near the Umtata Dam,” Hillary says.
Kwetana has had a remarkable 2019, winning four awards in just under six months. Her accolades include Provincial Top Commercial Entrepreneur in the female category, National Agriculture Excellence Small-holder Award and Youth in Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Award from the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) and the Top Commercial Entrepreneur Award from the Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform (DRDAR).