You can be anything you want if you put your mind to it. Those are the words of a young farmer from the BM section in Site B.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mziwethemba Janda, the owner of Saicko Constructors, is not allowing the circumstances to determine his future. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After being in the construction industry for almost a decade, Janda was forced to seek alternative ways to earn a living when his business suffered severe financial losses due to the Covid-19 pandemic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
He now owns a food garden along the N2 road opposite his area and is determined to make it succeed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Janda (41) is one of the young farmers who risked everything to start food gardens on a wetland adjacent to the N2. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
With construction taking a deep and endless struggle to find a job, in May last year, Janda resorted to farming. \u201cIt took me three weeks to clear the reeds on site. I took my last cent and bought the seeds. I sacrificed a lot to be where I am today,\u201d Janda said. \u201cWhen I arrived, there were other gardens. They were far away from the road and people couldn\u2019t see them. Now that people are coming closer to the road they cleared the reeds that hid us. Now everyone sees us,\u201d he stated, adding that he is working solo. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jonda emphasised that for now, he plants spinach, spring onion, beetroot and cabbage. \u201cI hate bothering people by asking for food. Hard labour is not a problem for me. I grew up planting maize. When I noticed my construction business was not doing well, I started farming. Now I can support my family by selling some veggies to the community. I don\u2019t have to buy vegetables to cook,\u201d he stated, adding that there are no incidents of stealing reported for now. However, he stated that some of their challenges include working equipment. They also want the area to be fenced. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI don\u2019t have enough working equipment like gloves, garden hand fork, rake, fork spade etc. Also, if we can get a van or truck to deliver the manure here? We have to risk crossing the N2 to ask for it (manure) in the cattle farm across the road and that is dangerous,\u201d he said, adding that there is no need to water their plants as the area is always damp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Janda said his dream is to become one of the well-known farmers in the country. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI wish I can get land where we can plant whatever we want and be subsidised by the government. I think the government needs to encourage children at school to do agriculture so that they can be able to support themselves. Looking at the way things are now soon we will struggle to buy mealie-meal,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
You can be anything you want if you put your mind to it. 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