09 Jun 2020

Glancing at Wendy Mchive, one could mistake her for a fashionista.

The 39-year-old, who runs Dwililo Bush Farm 40 kilometers north of Letlhakane along Francistown road, is one of the young people who have ventured into farming.

Historically, traditional farming was known as a physically taxing vocation that takes its toll on farmers, especially those who have been plying it for decades.

Mostly associated with the rural folks, farming has undergone an evolution in the recent past with the entry of savvy and able bodied individuals who are giving it a facelift.

Gone are the days when people used to regard farming as a past time for the elderly or pensioners who are tired of city life. 

The young generation is flocking into agriculture in large numbers and this has given hope to the elderly who had been agonizing that the profession might follow them to their graves.

Ms Mchive’s farm is one of the agricultural ventures making waves.

In an interview recently, Ms Mchive narrated that she did not waste much time when government allowed mixed land use through President Mokgweetsi Masisi’s initiatives to boost food security and she grabbed the opportunity by venturing into agro-tourism.

One would think that since she has stayed in the mining town of Orapa over the years, she would be interested in opportunities aligned to mining. 

No, that was not her choice. She found her passion in farm life.

 Her interests were much more in pursuing farming, living a lifestyle of an ordinary Motswana woman, operating a campsite, ploughing, rearing goats, sheep, ducks, guinea fowls, turkeys and peacocks.

She has made Dwililo Bush farm a gem that Batswana could benchmark on to boost the local economy and alleviate poverty. 

She sees herself as one of the key drivers of the Vision 2036 pillar of a sustainable nation.

Ms Mchive operates a 70 hectare farm which has been divided in to three compartments, with the other side reserved as ploughing land while the rest hosts a campsite. 

The project was self-funded and she only got financial assistance for fencing.

Her passion to venture in to farming was inculcated by her mother in law who used to buy vegetables from South Africa to sell in Maun.

Considering the longer distance that her mother had to endure to source vegetables, she was compelled to devise an idea that could assist local vendors to purchase vegetables closer and that was how Dwililo Bush Farm which means ‘Tswelelo’ in Kalanga came about. 

Dwililo’s establishment was intended to reduce the high level of imports from other countries.

Operating with a staff complement of four permanent farm assistants and 10 temporary workers, she has produced 400 bags of butternuts supplying vendors in Boteti and various individuals since the beginning of 2020.

Ms Mchive who was also raised in a family that practiced farming supplies government with 75 small stock per year through poverty eradication programme.

All this has been possible through her acquisition of tourism and business management skills.

She encourages the youth and unemployed women to lease out farms or borrow land from their parents to venture into farming and boost their economic independence.

Starting a small, she said, was critical as it allows one to ultimately achieve intended goals. 

Ms Mchive urged the youth to learn more about government programmes, citing that there were also short courses offered free by Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

She noted that in order to get a good yield it was very critical to do pre-test of the soil to minimize pests.

Actively participating in the farm by working with the farm workers, she noted, is also crucial as that could give one first-hand information on the challenges experienced at the farm.

“Don’t give up when you face challenges, get up and dust yourself off,” she said.

Furthermore, the campsite has been set-up with two chalets and a thatched dining area which are already complete. 

A bush bar and Dwililo bush barbeque have already been established too. 

The plan is to establish five executive tents in addition to the existing chalets.

She intends adding wild animals like impalas, giraffes and some birds for game tours. Ends