Retired government official Bongani Mahlaba relies on Pannar Seed for his small-scale maize requirements.
Since retiring as a local manager for the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Bongani Mahlaba has turned his attention to small-scale mixed farming in the province’s Ophepheni traditional authority area.
A visit to Bongani’s smallholding reveals a neat and organised section for cattle, goats, chickens and vegetables, and a recently hand-harvested plot of yellow maize. The production output from these micro enterprises primarily supports the Mahlaba family with food and feed. Any excess production is sold locally to supplement Bongani’s pension.
“My summer field crops are yellow maize and soybeans that I grow in a 50/50 rotation. They are mainly to feed my livestock and poultry,” says Bongani.
“Pannar and its sales representative to smallholder growers, Welcome Zulu, play a major role in helping me select suitable seed for my area and for my needs. When I want to hold a farmers’ day in my area, Pannar and Welcome also support me with this.”
Long-term average rainfall in the Ophepheni district is 700-800mm.
Bongani’s crops grow in dryland conditions and laboratory analysis of soil samples informs how they are fertilised.
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