Ms Aluwani Netshia (28) of Tsianda, owner of Greenland and Landscaping at Lwamondo, finished third in the national Eskom Business Investment Competition. The results were announced during an event at Midrand a fortnight ago.
Netshia owns 10 hectares of land and produces avocados, macadamia nuts, litchis and rose geranium oil. The smallholding was established in 2008 and her business has grown by leaps and bounds and they now supply local retailers as well as the fresh produce market in Johannesburg. She also offers a landscaping service to the residential and business market.
According to her, she started with two employees and now she employs 26 people, 19 of whom are permanent. She won a trophy and R25 000 and said she would use the money for the development of the smallholding.
During the prize-giving ceremony, Ms Haylene Liberty, the chief executive officer of the Eskom Development Foundation, stated that the two major challenges local small farmers were facing were that they were unable to source funding from retail banks, as well as the marketing of their products.
"Through the Eskom Development Foundation's policy of providing grants to purchase materials and equipment to small businesses rather than loans, and the monitoring of the use of the grants, the foundation ensures that the businesses are sustainable," she added.