02 Oct 2018

 As agriculture remains one of the sectors which adds to economic growth, employment creation and food security, Ms Keitiretse Mpuang  of Nata has jumped in to add value.

The 63-year-old has opened a milling business after realising that she had passion and determination to see her dream through. 

Speaking during an interview, Ms Mpuang, who runs Nata-based Ikhutseng Milling, said she was funded through the Financial Assistance Policy (FAP) in 1993, and managed to buy pilling and milling equipment for the business. 

Later, she said, she built a room which she has since expanded as the business grew. 

“When I started Ikhutseng Milling, most people stopped spending on travelling to neighbouring places for milling and I knew that I did not wait for the opportunities I created them,” she said.  

She said as people in her area were reluctant to plough due to climate change and drought when she started her business, she had to travel to places like Mathangwane to order sorghum to mill and package. 

But knowing the importance of agriculture, Ms Mpuang said she started to encourage the community to plough as without agriculture there would be no food.

She said people heeded her call and focused on cereals like sorghum and millet. 

Though the community was not yet developed and there was no electricity, she persevered and she managed to buy a generator to operate her machines. 

In 1997, Ms Mpuang said developments increased in the community and she applied for electricity and was successful, adding that today she was the supplier of supermarkets and individuals.

She indicated that it was not easy to start any type of business even if funding was available from financial institutions. 

The entrepreneur said with a business that has been in Nata and surrounding areas for almost 25 years, she was getting a positive response from customers.

Ms Mpuang said she grew up in a family of farmers in Serowe and that she decided to move to Nata instead of continuing with farming. She said she decided to do something different from her past experience, and that farmers woud benefit as well as the community. 

She said she preferred to mill sorghum because it was a healthy and drought resistant cereal which was needed by the market. 

She said she has started packaging and supplying beans, chicken feed and millet. Ms Mpuang said she has supportive employees and that they had earned a good reputation with clients because of their passion and hard work. 

She admitted that even though it took a few years, the business has started receiving good returns.

She also thanked her family for the support, adding that they were currently working on improving branding and packaging of their products. ENDS