Women in agritourism celebrated

With August being Women’s Month, the South Coast Tourism and Investment Enterprise (SCTIE) is celebrating dynamic leaders in agritourism.

CEO of SCTIE, Phelisa Mangcu said promoting tourism in the hinterland region while supporting women tourism operators is a major drive for them, and they are excited to shine a spotlight on exceptional women.

Mangcu said by sharing their stories this Women’s Month, they hope to inspire others to find opportunities in the agritourism industry and develop the worthwhile sector along the South Coast.

She said agritourism unlocks economic potential in rural areas, providing visitors with a unique, behind-the-scenes experience of farming while creating much-needed jobs.

She added that along the South Coast, where the ‘Agri-culture’ tours are proving a successful initiative, it is the women who are leading in this particular field.

Mangcu said some of the women are Busisiwe Lubanya, Silindile Zondi, and Bongi Lushaba, who are co-founders of BBS Farm in Southport.

She said the company was first established as a subsistence farm but quickly grew in popularity, with the women finding a niche market in commercial produce. She added that the trio decided to start their own enterprise after finding themselves with the right certifications, but without employment.

Lushaba said she recalls meeting Lubanyana and Zondi at a co-operative summit where the three of them were elected onto the committee as secretary, chairperson, and treasurer respectively.

“The three of us were unemployed graduates so we decided to work together, helping other co-operatives and also training further in the industry. We then decided to register our farm as the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development was running a programme calling for such proposals, and we were lucky,” said Lushaba.

She added that after securing land, they embarked on their agricultural journey. Lubanyana said they decided to create tunnels for farming and identified produce that is not common or easily sourced to create more market demand.

They started with heritage tomatoes which come in red, green, yellow, orange, and maroon, which they then packaged differently, mixing in cherry tomatoes. She added that in terms of their roles, Lubanyana focuses on production, Zondi deals with finance, while Lushaba is in charge of labour relations.

“My advice to women is to keep pushing, not to focus on the money but rather improving the business. Then everything will fall into place,” said Lushaba.

Also, there are sisters, Nelly and Nolwazi Zama who are co-founders of Ubumbano Farm in Amandawe. The pair started the agricultural co-operative in 2017 on a smallholding in Amandawe as a mixed farming venture.

They produced choice-grade crops which gained local consumer attention, prompting the shift to commercial farming with the addition of a retail sector as well.

Nelly said: “The smallholding has always been owned by our dad and we all got involved as we grew up. We currently have sugar cane, seasonal vegetables, macadamia nuts and bananas growing on the farm, running under a family-owned business.”

She added that they have been fortunate enough to engage with individuals who are interested in the product and are willing to assist, saying that agritourism is an educational and fun experience for many.

Meanwhile, Leigh Wichmann, the co-founder of Mpenjati Coffee in Munster started farming coffee almost five years ago at their Jericho Farm in Munster with the processing performed at their Larkfield Farm. They started brewing some of the region’s best coffee blends with visitors welcome to experience the process from plant to cup.

Wichmann said: “This has been my husband’s dream for a while but I was always too nervous to branch out until he convinced me it was the right time. We did the crazy thing of opening in the December season but I just loved the business of it all.”

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