By Faridat Salifu
Across South Africa, a new generation of farmers is taking root. From backyard poultry keepers to tech-savvy crop producers, young people are proving that agriculture is not just for the old guard. But despite their passion and innovation, many are being held back by a lack of land, funding, infrastructure, and access to formal markets.
Thabo Skhosana, a crop farmer in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal, sees farming as a powerful tool for youth empowerment—but not without its challenges. “Farming is unpredictable. You can plan, but when nature hits, you’re helpless,” he said. “As young people, we’re not immune to these shocks, and we also face the uphill task of changing how people see farming.”
For poultry farmer Llewellyn Louw in Jacobsdal, Free State, the struggle is structural. “Many young farmers are stuck on commonage land or farming in backyards. We need proper access to land and training especially financial skills,” he said. Louw believes young farmers are critical to the country’s food security and should be recognised as such.
In the Northern Cape, livestock farmer Maungo Mokgoje speaks for many who are building their businesses from scratch. “We didn’t inherit land or equipment like some older farmers. The system needs to support us in a real way. Government departments need to stop working in silos,” he said.
Free State crop farmer Kealeboga Rapulana agrees—and believes the journey must start early. “We say lore lo ojwa lo sale metsi teach them young. That’s how we build successful farmers,” she said.
With the price of food rising sharply, growing her own has helped cushion her from economic shocks. Still, she faces the same barriers: lack of access to water, machinery, and reliable markets.
In Limpopo, farmers like Muelelwa Mashau and Kamogelo Thobejane are proving the value of youthful energy and innovation in agriculture. “We’re willing to learn every day,” Mashau said.
For Thobejane, who runs a poultry business, farming has helped him fight unemployment but he’s worried others won’t stay in the sector without better infrastructure.
“You can have 1,000 chickens and nowhere to take them. No abattoir. No market in Limpopo. We need local solutions. If we had proper markets and support, more young people would join farming,” he said. Thobejane also called for subsidies on feed and electricity, and transparency in youth-targeted funding schemes. “We apply, we wait, we hear nothing. We need more than motivation we need access.”
While programmes like Youth in Agriculture and Rural Development (YARD) are appreciated, many young farmers say it’s time for real investment not just encouragement. Without land, markets and reliable support, the new generation’s fight for a place in agriculture remains an uphill battle.
Source :foodformzansi.com
