From Engineer to Farmer: How Two Sisters Are Leading Mpumalanga’s Small-Scale Farming Revolution

In the heart of Marothobolong, in Mpumalanga’s Dr JS Moroka municipality, a quiet revolution is taking root.

Esther Skhosana and her sister NaNtuli Skhosana are running a cooperative of five womenthe Somgaselwa Women’s Organisationthat is transforming neglected land into productive community gardens.

The Beginning

The group approached the local tribal authority in 2019 for permission to use a 2.5 hectare piece of land along the river for irrigation. In response to the social and economic hardships facing their community, they founded Somgaselwa.

At the core of their work is small-scale farming.

“We produce vegetables and most of it is bought by the locals,” Esther said. They also supply events like weddings and funerals.

Turning Waste into Opportunity

The organisation has undertaken research into Mpumalanga’s agricultural landscape and uses that knowledge to implement community gardens and farming initiatives.

One of its most innovative interventions has been the conversion of illegal dumping sites into productive community gardenstransforming neglected land into spaces of cultivation and dignity.

The aim is to grow vegetables and fruit on a large scale for poor communities, while instilling a culture of self-reliance.

Engineering Change

Esther is not a farmer by training. She is an electrical engineer who saw an opportunity to reduce unemployment, stimulate local food chains, and create opportunities for those often excluded from the formal economy.

Due to high levels of poverty and joblessness, their goal is to ensure affordability for pensioners, low-income earners, and vulnerable families.

The Challenge

The nearest major market is in Pretoria, about 150km away. Transport costs are steep, and produce risks losing freshness before it can yield a good return.

The Bottom Line

Five women. 2.5 hectares. A vision of food security, dignity, and self-reliance.

The Somgaselwa Women’s Organisation is proof that small-scale farming can transform communitiesone illegal dumping site, one vegetable patch, one meal at a time.

They just need the market to get a little closer.

{Source: Citizen}

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