Empowered Mashaeng entrepreneur Tebello Mokoena masters farming market!

Passion for farming has instilled Fouriesburg-born Tebello Yvonne Mokoena to set her sights in the agriculture industry and to make great strides in her Masela Lefika Farming.

Born in the agriculturally vibrant rural place of Mashaeng, Fouriesburg in Free State, Mokoena (27) says her decision to pursue farming was to help marginalised communities, particularly women, to produce food at a cheaper cost.

The goal-driven Mokoena says she is making success of her farming business locally and she has her eye set on supplying countrywide.

“I’m passionate about farming. It has followed me since I was a child and through my career. Wherever I go, I always make sure I have a pot plant to grow something. It fascinates me to watch a plant grow until harvest,” Mokoena says.

While she currently produces a small amount of compost, her main objective is to work with food-processing businesses to bring large amounts of organic waste to her farm.

The Free State department of agriculture and rural development coughed up R50 000, and further added R10 000 after she scooped the second runner-up place for being the best subsistence farmer during the MEC’s awards earlier this year.

Mokoena and her three male partners started farming vegetables in a backyard in 2019.

“In 2020, we were allowed to use four hectors of municipal land. We expanded our organic farming crop, which includes cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes, beetroot, green beans, pumpkin, spinach, green peppers and chillies,” said Mokoena.

Mokoena says her pivotal aim is to expand Masela Lefika Farming and employ more people, as Mashaeng has high levels of unemployment.