One of the participants in Operation Phakisa for Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development is Maleshoane Mokhachane-Moeti, a cattle and crop farmer from Wesselsbron, Free State. Wesselsbron is in Lejweleputswa district municipality.
Mokhachane-Moeti is the farm manager for the Mokhachane Community Property Association. She has over 100 herd of cattle, 159 sheep and grows spinach on the land she acquired through the land distribution programme in 2005.
She says Operation Phakisa for Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development is the answer to growing the agricultural economy. That was when she fell in love with working on a farm.
Mokhachane-Moeti said as a black African woman it was an honour to be chosen to participate. “I think the government is on the right track with the launch of Operation Phakisa focusing on the agricultural sector. As farmers we really have the potential to grow the economy and create jobs.”
The Mokhachane Community Property Association employs five permanent staff and during harvest times temporarily employs a few people from the community.
“I also have a partnership with the Central University of Technology (CUT). They bring agricultural students to our farm for practicals.” The three-year renewable agreement with CUT was signed in 2014.
Mokhachane-Moeti said farming is about food security. “It is … so important that women are at the forefront of farming as the carers of families because if you
teach women you teach a village.”
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