20 Feb 2017

Hard work and focus remains the driving force behind any business.Such are words of wisdom from Mr Mpho Mpoko, owner of Amanao Agric Feeds which is a member of Waka Mpoko Group.

Mr Mpoko, who was funded to the tune of P100 000 in 2015, through the Youth Development Fund to venture into stock feed sale, told BOPA, in an interview that he did not get into business for the love of money, but to change his life and create employment for other youth.

He has so far employed four.

More importantly he said he had already started paying back the loan and hopes to be done this year so as to give others the opportunity to be assisted as well.

Mr Mpoko deals in such products as animal drugs, farm equipment, seeds and fertilizers, which he gets from Tech Feeds in Gaborone and Agric Sales in Francistown.

Further education is something Mr Mpoko plans to do as he said he wanted to enrol for a business course to improve skills that would help grow his business.

As they say, ‘diversifyor die, he said he was looking into diversifying the business and open a branch in Gweta and also to stock a wide range of farming equipment such as tractors.

He said most of his customers were from Gweta and Nata, who buy seeds and fertilizers, given that it was the ploughing season.

Mr Mpoko said despite such challenges as transport, he trusted that with the available resources, he would make it.

He said he faced competition from Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board, but was thankful to his land lord, who had rented out the premises he operated from at a reasonable price and had been with him through the good and bad times.

He said last year was a difficult time as most of his customers went to BAMB due to subsidised prices, but patience kept him going.

“Hard times build and test one’s perseverance,” he said.

He encouraged youth to have faith in their businesses and not to have fear as that would only deny them an opportunity to reach their destiny.

He also encouraged them not rely only on government, but explore their talents as that could change their lives. BOPA