When Vanessa Simelane started working with the family garden in her backyard in Mpumalanga, her goal was not to create a business, but to preserve part of her mother's legacy. Thanks to a vital investment from her neighbor, CM Mills, she transformed from a backyard gardener into a commercial force producing up to 1500 broilers per cycle.
Simelane grew up in Chrisismere, Mpumalanga, a region known as the Sunrise Place. Growing up among a family of small farmers shaped her connection to agriculture at an early age, awakening a curiosity that grew with her. Despite focusing on her studies, she completed primary school at Laerskool Chrisi and then graduated from Secondary School Nederland Park in 2017, but her deep love for the land never left her.
After graduating from school, Simelane faced a period of unemployment, unaware that daily quiet household chores were preparing her for a future career.
The true foundation of her entrepreneurial journey began in 2019 after the death of her mother, Babsi Simelane. Her mother always maintained a special backyard garden, growing spinach, carrots, potatoes, lettuce, and tomatoes for the family. After the loss, Simelane took full responsibility for maintaining this garden.
During her period of unemployment, the garden quickly became a vital source of financial support. Most of what she ate came directly from the garden, helping to save valuable family funds. Over time, this daily chore transformed into a commercial opportunity through a simple, firm decision. When neighbors came asking for free tomatoes or other vegetables, Simelane told them she was selling the harvest.
Simelane notes: 'The decision to grow vegetables not only for home use but also for sale became one of the best decisions I ever made. Since every meal requires at least one or two vegetables, there is always demand for fresh produce. Growing vegetables allowed me to support my household, generate income, and contribute to providing healthy food for my community.'
Alongside maintaining the home garden, a new opportunity arose shortly after the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2021, her growing passion for agriculture led her to participate in a development program that allowed her to attend the Bubble Farmers Academy, where she received specialized training in broiler production. This program gave her initial momentum, supplying the first 100 chicks and enough feed for a full production cycle. She recalls: 'It was during this training that I discovered my true calling and decided to pursue poultry farming as a career.'
Working in the same backyard where her garden grew, Simelane successfully raised poultry for six weeks and sold it directly to the local community. She continued this combined activity of raising poultry and vegetables in the backyard, gradually building her customer base until in 2024 she took a major step—registering the enterprise as Avesanda Poultry Farm.
By 2025, the backyard operation officially exceeded the available space. Simelane made a calculated business decision and leased a 4.4-hectare plot to expand both poultry and crop production. However, the new land lacked the necessary commercial infrastructure, threatening to halt her progress.
This obstacle was overcome thanks to an unusual relationship with her new neighbor, CM Mills, located directly opposite her farm. Recognizing her hard work and determination, the neighboring business provided significant capital investment to accelerate the growth of Avesanda Poultry Farm. Instead of a standard loan, the neighbor completely renovated the infrastructure on the plot. They installed perimeter fencing, equipped specialized curtains in the poultry houses, provided waterers and feeders, supplied professional slaughtering equipment, and ensured the farm had proper access to water and electricity.
To allow her to immediately utilize the new facilities, the neighbor also financed her initial production cycles. They purchased her first batch of 200 chicks and feed for the entire cycle, and later financed a second batch of 400 chicks with full feed cycle. Simelane says: 'This support allowed me to expand production, strengthen my operations, and lay the foundation for the growth that Avesanda Poultry Farm experiences today.' She adds: 'I am deeply grateful for their belief in my vision and their commitment to supporting emerging farmers.'
Thanks to solving infrastructure problems through the neighbor's intervention, Simelane's daily management has led to significant operational growth. Today, Avesanda Poultry Farm has scaled up from domestic 100 chicks to producing between 1200 and 1500 broilers per production cycle. More importantly, she has secured a stable commercial market for supplying 1200 slaughtered chickens every week.
The 4.4-hectare plot also allowed her to expand her vegetable business, which she inherited from her mother. In addition to the original crops, Simelane now grows green peppers, chili, and sweet potato for the market. The growing enterprise supports the local economy by employing two permanent staff members, including Simelane herself, and two part-time workers.
However, operating at this scale involves significant risks that Simelane must carefully manage to maintain business sustainability. Her biggest hurdle is the rising cost of feed, which accounts for 65% to 75% of poultry farming expenses. To protect her profit, she buys feed in bulk, collaborates with neighboring farmers to negotiate better prices, and vets suppliers to ensure consistent quality.
Biosecurity is another daily priority due to the threat of highly pathogenic avian influenza. Simelane maintains strict hygiene on the farm, using foot baths and disinfecting all vehicles and equipment entering the farm. This meticulous attention to detail pays off, as each milestone brings her closer to achieving her ultimate family goal.
For aspiring agricultural entrepreneurs, Simelane emphasizes that business discipline must always come first. She advises young producers to view farming as a business, not just a passion; to start small with what they have and gain practical experience on an established farm before starting their own venture. She concludes: 'Starting a farming business is rewarding, but it requires commitment, discipline, and sound business management.'
For a long time, buying fresh vegetables was an additional expense that 51-year-old Zandile Singa could not afford. However, today this mother from ePhalazini, located near Mthalume in KwaZulu-Natal, grows a significant portion of her family's food on her own plot. Moreover, when the harvest exceeds the household's needs, she sells the surplus to neighbors.
In just one week, Singa earned 1250 rand by selling green peppers and chilies. Singa notes that farming has contributed to her gaining independence. She says that the garden provides food for the family, and the surplus allows her to earn money for her daughter's needs, such as school uniforms and stationery, which has significantly improved their household's situation.
Singa's story is relevant in a context where many South African households are facing difficulties due to the rising cost of living. Food inflation, unemployment, and stagnant incomes put immense pressure on family budgets, stimulating growing interest in home food production as a practical way to enhance food security and create small sources of income.
In 2023, Singa joined the Household Gardening Program implemented by the public non-profit organization Thanda. This organization, based in rural KwaZulu-Natal, works with communities to build long-term sustainability through programs focused on early childhood development, child and youth development, as well as food security and economic development.
Thanda's household gardening initiative provides families with knowledge about regenerative agriculture, enabling them to grow nutritious food using accessible and eco-friendly methods. Instead of relying on expensive agricultural resources, participants learn practical techniques such as composting, mulching, seed saving, and natural pest control.
These acquired skills have already yielded results for Singa. When her recent harvest was threatened by pests, she did not have to buy chemical pesticides. Instead, she applied organic methods, including sawdust and chili-based treatments, which she learned through the program.
Angela Larkin, Executive Director and Co-founder of Thanda, emphasizes that home gardens have become more than just a way to grow vegetables. She argues that gardening is too often viewed solely from an agrarian perspective, whereas its impact is entirely social and economic. When a household grows its own food, it ceases to be completely dependent on money for survival in an unstable economy. Home food production, whether on a rural estate or in a small container garden, offers a practical way to restore self-sufficiency.
The Household Gardening Program was launched in 2022 in response to growing concerns about food insecurity in vulnerable communities. According to Thanda, when a household's income no longer covers the cost of a nutritious basket, families first reduce the quality and variety of their diet. This can have serious consequences for children's health and development, especially during pregnancy and the first 1000 days of life.
Larkin insists that ensuring adequate nutrition for children begins long before they start school. She stresses that with stable access to diverse and nutritious food, households better support healthy pregnancies and early childhood development. However, when household budgets are stretched to the limit, families often lack the resources to mitigate market shocks. Thus, home-grown food ceases to be a hobby and becomes a critical necessity for survival.
Since then, the program has trained over 650 home gardeners, and participants have also learned how to grow protein-rich foods alongside vegetables to improve dietary diversity and strengthen household resilience. For Thanda, the work goes beyond helping families produce food; by combining practical skills with community development, the organization aims to strengthen livelihoods, improve nutrition, and create pathways out of poverty that can be sustainable for generations.
