Passionate Maphumulo farmer wins ‘social entrepreneur’ at KZN Youth Business Awards

Maphumulo farmer Mhlengi Ngcobo’s perseverance to promote skills development and helping young people wanting to get into farming, is attracting accolades.

Ngcobo recently won the social entrepreneur category at the KZN Youth Business Awards.

The 23-year-old hydroponics farmer has a 120-hectare vegetable farm which supplies major stores on the North Coast.

The young man from Emthandeni in Maphumulo also manages a sugar cane and macadamia farm.

“I truly feel honoured to be recognised by such an organisation,” said Ngcobo.

After obtaining a business management diploma in 2019, Ngcobo could not find a job, and to keep himself busy developed a small vegetable garden at his home.

Like most young people, he posted photos on social media.

The response he received motivated him to look at agriculture differently, so he began researching opportunities available to young black farmers.

Fortunately, his family already owned land for sugar cane farming, so he made use of it.

“At that time I suffered from depression and anxiety owing to the stress of being unemployed. Now that I am doing well, I feel I must do something to help other young people receive training so they can become productive and prosperous.

“There are so many unemployed youths here, which causes serious social problems,” said Ngcobo.

So far, he has informally trained about 200 youth, of whom 34 are now productive farmers creating employment in Maphumulo.

He has now started a similar project in Madundube.

“I always encourage those who have a passion for agriculture to go for it and not be afraid. But I must stress that if you decide to be a farmer purely for the financial benefits, you are unlikely to succeed because there are many challenges that require passion to deal with. I am always willing to hold new farmers’ hands when they start,” said Ngcobo.

He believes success will come with young farmers sharing information and supporting one another in challenging times.

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