As South Africans celebrate Disability Awareness Month annually between 3 November and 3 December, for the Limpopo Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (LDARD), the celebration cannot be complete without recognising farmers living with disabilities that create jobs.
LDARD reporters usually report about their production during this period. In this edition, meet Lutendo Nenguza, crop farmer, and Mmatumelo Mutakusi, crop and poultry farmer. Both are persons with disabilities.
Nenguza runs a 10 hectare (ha) leased land called Staan Daar under Makhado Municipality in Vhembe District. He produces mixed vegetables, and seedlings, which are sold to hawkers, households, and local farmers respectively. He has nursery nets, drip irrigation system, access to water and electricity.
The former People with Disability in Agriculture and Rural Development Awards winner has employed three permanent workers, and three seasonal employees through government’s Expanded Public Works Programme to assist with farm maintenance.
Mutakusi’s interest in agriculture was inspired by her father who was also a farmer. She runs both vegetable and poultry farms under Phija project, which was established in 2012.
Phija project offers variety of services ranging from skills transfer and development to selling of mixed vegetables, and poultry as follows; hatching of chicks of layers and broilers; growing day-old broiler chicks to the stage of meat production; growing of day-old chicks to a point of laying, and vaccination programmes for poultry and ensure bio-security process is followed in the poultry production area.
Phija project has two permanent employees and is keen to partner with similar business to strengthen its capacity while increasing opportunities to create much needed jobs.
Like other farmers, LDARD continues to give support to farmers with disability, youth, and women in agriculture with both technical assistance through extension services, mechanisation and production inputs.
