Agripark boosts small-scale farmer

A Tshwane farmer has set his sights on growing a vegetable enterprise after a government initiative set the pursuit of his dream in motion.

Simon Selwane, 52, began his farming journey in 2000 when he obtained a crop production diploma from the Pretoria Technikon (now Tshwane University of Technology).

The formal training allowed him to do his internship at the Agricultural Research Council before going on to manage a 18 hectare (ha) vegetable farm in the south of Johannesburg for the next 14 years.

“After that, I decided to leave formal employment and to start my farm,” he said.
And with that, Tau Fresh Produce was born. Today the business grows cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and herbs, among others.

In 2016, the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development leased Selwane seven planting tunnels at the Soshanguve Agripark. 

Here, he grew a variety of herbs and cucumber. The agripark is one of eight in the province.
The agriparks are an initiative of the national Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD). 

The concept includes educational/experimental farms, collective farming, farmer-incubator projects, agri-clusters, eco-villages, and urban-edge allotments and market gardens.

“While it wasn’t easy, with the support from the Department, it became a bit bearable,” he said.
In 2016  he was relocated to the much bigger Rooiwal Agripark where he utilised 20 growing and multi-span tunnels on a total of three ha. 

Good yields saw Selwane 2018 purchase his six ha farm in Pyramid.

Tau Fresh Produce employs 12 full-time employees. However, the number rises significantly during the harvest seasons.
The business mainly supplies its produce to Suntropica Farms, a vegetable packhouse based in Midrand. 

Selwane is also a mentor accredited by the Agriseta - Agricultural Sector Education Training Authority. Through his enterprise, Selwane provides plant production training for national qualification framework levels one to five.

With expansion intentions preoccupying him, the dedicated farmer does not plan to take his foot off the pedal.
“As I mentioned, I used to manage a 180 hectare farm, so in the future, if I can have a minimum 50 hectare farm, I would be grateful.

It would mean producing more food and creating more employment,” he said.