Young farmer Luvo Mxakaza, from Zwelitsha village in Matatiele, will no longer go to bed with sore joints and hands full of blisters after hand-tilling the soil on his farm all day.
Mxakaza was the grateful recipient of a hand-held tractor, known as a tiller, one of a number of tillers and industrial sewing machines presented by agriculture MEC Nonceba Kontsiwe to residents of Zwelitsha.
Mxakaza’s passion for farming began while watching his parents plant their garden, and he knew that one day he would follow in their footsteps.
“I grew up in a household that valued the garden a lot. In 2022, I decided to use my grandfather’s two hectares to start farming to sell produce.”
A tiller is used to break up hard, compacted soil in preparation for planting.
Mxakaza, 28, said the tiller would make his work much easier because it would reduce his working hours, he would be less exhausted, and would be able to work faster than before.
“The work I used to do like cultivating potatoes would take me three days but now it’ll take just one day because this tiller on its own is doing the job that 10 people would do.
“But the most relieving part is that I won’t go to bed exhausted any more — and that will make a huge difference.”
Kontsiwe said community demand for tractors was high, and it was unfortunate the department could not afford to hand them out to all who needed them.
So they decided to pilot the donation of hand-held tillers to help farmers get on with their work.
“We decided to explore this machinery, especially for our programme of home-based food gardening.
“This will help communities plant their farms and gardens.”
These machines will change the lives of people in our community, as well as our local agricultural economy, because more produce will be grown and harvested.
— Matatiele agricultural chair Zuko Salukazana
Kontsiwe said they were piloting the machinery and awaiting feedback from communities.
A tiller was easier to use than a spade and hoe.
Matatiele agricultural chair Zuko Salukazana said it was good that society was realising the future belonged to young farmers.
They were going to find ways to create opportunities for themselves and see the people benefit.
The tillers presented by the MEC would “skyrocket” Matatiele’s economy.
“These machines will change the lives of people in our community, as well as our local agricultural economy, because more produce will be grown and harvested.”
Seamstress Andiswa Guzana, 32, who works with her 74-year-old mother, expressed her joy after they received two head embroidery machines.
Guzana said the machines would be life-changing for their company, enabling them to cut costs and produce more items faster.
“We are extremely happy.”
Salukazana urged young people to grab opportunities in agriculture as they taught skills that could create big job opportunities.
Daily Dispatch
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