Ms Mulalo Luvhimbi, a young farmer from Mianzwi outside Thohoyandou, is urging other young people to utilise the land to generate income.
Born into a farming family, Luvhimbi attributes her current position and accomplishments to the small farming plot owned by her parents in the village. Introduced to farming at a young age, she accompanied her mother to the fields. Today, when not studying, she manages her own small farming business on a portion of her parents' land. During her free time, she can be found selling peanuts or sweet potatoes by the roadside or tending to her crops in the field.
At 25 years of age, Luvhimbi is currently studying N6 mechanical engineering at Vhembe TVET College's Makwarela Campus. However, she remains connected to her agricultural background.
"You can have all the education and qualifications and still struggle to find employment. I am about to become a qualified engineer, but I am uncertain if I will secure a job after my studies. However, if you have a piece of land, you are always assured of having work. I consider myself fortunate to have been born into a family that possesses over a hectare of farming land. This farm has become a part of me, and not going there for a single day feels like something is missing. I am a farmer at heart, and I believe that with enough hard work, it is possible to build a house, buy a car, and support your family through farming," she explains.
Despite the challenges that come with farming, Luvhimbi is determined to overcome them all as she strives to achieve success and become a significant farmer. She is preparing to harvest beans in the near future.
Luvhimbi is appealing to the government to provide more support to young farmers in starting and improving their farming businesses. "Most young farmers lack the capital to run a farming project successfully. Farming equipment like tractors, ploughs, expensive fertilizers, seeds, and pesticides are beyond their means. Personally, I can't even afford to buy overalls or boots to work in the field. Because I have a passion for farming, I wear my regular clothes and go barefoot into the field to tend to my plants," she shares.
Luvhimbi advises the youth to start small and, with the profits they make, expand their businesses until they achieve their dreams.