25 Aug 2026

What began as a simple love for plants has blossomed into a source of income for 53-year-old Kelapile Itlhaganele of Tshane, demonstrating how passion, determination and creativity can be turned into a sustainable livelihood. 

Ms Itlhaganele has been nurturing and selling a variety of shade, ornamental, fruit and indigenous plants since 2019, but her journey into horticulture dates back to 2012 when she lived in Odi. It was during her stay in Odi that she began collecting plant species that were difficult to find in the Kgalagadi region, gradually developing an interest that would later grow into a business. 

“That is where I realised I had the love for plants. I learnt all the skills in planting and realised this is a craft in which we can make a living,” she said. 

Today, her nursery boasts a diverse selection of plants, ranging from shade trees such as Benjamin fig and other evergreen varieties to ornamental plants including croton, schefflera and butterfly plants. For those interested in fruit production, she supplies seedlings of peach, grape, guava, Chinese apple, pawpaw, avocado and mango, while indigenous species such as morolwane also form part of her stock. 

However, turning her passion into a viable enterprise has not been without challenges. Ms Itlhaganele said demand for plants remained relatively low in Tshane, with some residents still failing to appreciate their value and often expecting them to be given away for free. 

As a result, she has had to look beyond her immediate community, with Hukuntsi, approximately 12 kilometres away, becoming her main market. Although travelling to Hukuntsi adds to her operating costs, she said the market there provides more consistent sales. 

The income generated from the nursery has become an important contribution to her household, particularly as her husband is retired. She uses proceeds from the business to meet everyday household needs such as groceries and fuel, while some of the income has also been invested back into the property, including re-fencing their yard. Ms Itlhaganele, however, the greatest investment has been passion.

 She said horticulture required dedication and patience, noting that she often spent entire days tending to her plants. “When taking care of this business you can clothe and maintain your family with ease. What is most needed is the love, passion and zeal to care for the plants,” she said. Her enterprise is also vulnerable to the harsh conditions of the Kgalagadi, particularly during winter when frost can destroy plants and result in financial losses. To protect her stock, she introduced temporary shade this year. 

However, because the business does not have permanent shade-net infrastructure, she is often forced to move plants around to protect them from extreme weather conditions.

 Despite these challenges, she remained determined to grow the enterprise. She said she had not received financial assistance from funding agencies, although the Department of Forestry had committed to assist with shade netting once funds were available. Meanwhile, the increasing number of plants around her property has brought an unexpected opportunity. 

Ms Itlhaganele said she had noticed more bees in the area and was now considering diversifying into beekeeping. 

She plans to engage the Department of Agriculture to assess the feasibility of the venture and determine how best to integrate it with her existing horticultural activities. 

Beyond her own business, Ms Itlhaganele believes horticulture has the potential to create opportunities for other rural residents, particularly those willing to start small and grow gradually. She encouraged aspiring horticultural entrepreneurs not to be discouraged by the initial challenges, saying the sector could provide both income and food for households. 

“There is opportunity for business in keeping plants. They are useful as one can make a living out of them,” she said. Her experience illustrates the potential of small-scale horticulture to contribute to rural livelihoods while promoting greener communities and food production. 

With improved access to markets, infrastructure, inputs and technical support, enterprises such as Ms Itlhaganele’s could expand beyond household income generation and contribute to broader local economic development. For now, her nursery remains a modest enterprise in Tshane, but each seedling she nurtures represents more than a plant.

 It is a symbol of a livelihood-taking root through patience, hard work and an enduring passion for nature. ENDS