JOANDRA CLOETE GREEGORY
OWNER, OUR POULTRY PALACE (BROILERS), JOOSTENBERG VLAKTE, WESTERN CAPE
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO GET INVOLVED IN AGRICULTURE?
Agriculture was never my choice; it chose me. I guess you can call it destiny. We often live our lives thinking that a certain career path is what you want, but I am very sure agriculture is where I need to be. It is a very humble industry and while everyone in it will tell you that you need to have ‘hair on your teeth’ to succeed, you really need to have the heart for it.
PLEASE EXPLAIN YOUR ROLE IN THE BUSINESS.
I am a Jack of all trades! I'm the owner, founder and farmer.
WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FACING WOMEN IN AGRICULTURE?
There is nothing a woman can't do, but I think our biggest challenge in the industry is that we very often get undermined, and our ability gets questioned.
IF YOU WERE GIVEN R30 MILLION TO INVEST IN THE INDUSTRY, WHAT WOULD YOU SPEND IT ON?
I would commercialise production, buy a farm and expand my operations. I would build a training centre to train women farmers, and equip them with the know-how to run successful operations. I would open some retail stores where we can sell directly to consumers.
WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS?
To grow, create opportunities for the youth in the agricultural space, support womenowned businesses and train as many future commercial farmers as possible nationwide.
CECILIA NTHABISENG NGCOBO
OWNER, FULELA FUZE ENTERPRISE (VEGETABLES), SOWETO, GAUTENG
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO GET INVOLVED IN AGRICULTURE?
The passion and love of planting, getting myself involved in those natural colours; it renews me holistically, it's like therapy in a way. I currently produce peppers, cabbage, spinach and mustard spinach.
PLEASE EXPLAIN YOUR ROLE IN THE BUSINESS.
I am the manager, director, bookkeeper, and marketer, as well as the producer!
WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FACING WOMEN IN AGRICULTURE?
My biggest challenge so far has been funding or sponsorship. Even bigger problems are land and water.
GIVEN R30 MILLION TO INVEST, WHAT WOULD YOU SPEND IT ON?
I would buy more land, build greenhouses, establish an irrigation system, dig a borehole and buy all the equipment I need to expand
