There is no formula for farming, and when you are a female farmer, juggling motherhood and a full-time career, you understand that even more. Farming itself is challenging: It is not easy to generate an income as well as growing food, but as long as you have passion and perseverance, you will find a way.

That is true for Koketso Mofokeng, farmer from the Madibeng district in Northwest, South Africa. “I was born and raised on a farm at De Wildt, near Brits,” she recalls. “I was raised by my grandmother who was a farm worker for 37 years.” This gave Koketso an understanding of the challenges low income families face and the dire need for both generating an income and producing food.

She started farming in 2018, growing produce on a three-hectare plot. Today she is successfully farming on two farms: one based in Sonop, Kareepoort, and another in Mooinooi, Elandskraal.

Through her farming operation, Diatla Tsheweu, she provides vegetables to big supermarket groups such as Boxer and Cassgro. Her business also serves as a space where students from the Tswane University of Technology can receive unpaid in-service training.

Passionate about farming since childhood

Koketso has been passionate about farming since childhood.

“Farming was a very big part of my childhood,” she explains. “My grandmother, Agnes Baloyi, and her sister, Sarah Baloyi, were both farm workers for a very long time. Both my parents were born on the farm where they met and fell in love. My uncles and mother never went to school. They started working on the farms when they were still young.”

Although Koketso worked as a photographer for a while after school, she ultimately turned back to agriculture. “My husband, Katiso, encouraged me to pursue my dream.” She launched her career as a farmer by completing an online course in agriculture.

The vegetable crops she grows include cabbage, bell peppers, green beans, and spinach.

Women bring something special to agriculture

Being a woman in a male dominated industry can be daunting, but being supported by your loved ones is a vital part of making it work. Just like Koketso, many female farmers are also mothers and wives who are traditionally responsible for taking care of the family.

“Balancing motherhood and working on the farm full time can be challenging,” she admits. “I believe you need to have a supportive partner. My husband takes over when I cannot get to everything in the household, which gives me
space to focus on work.”

The same goes for being a wife. “My husband understands that I am a farmer as well as being his wife. He supports my decisions and my hectic work schedule.”

Over time, Koketso has found that you should not try to separate motherhood and farming, but rather combine the two. “I involve everyone in the farm, including my kids.”

In her opinion, women bring something very special to agriculture. “Women do not only farm to feed their pockets, they also farm to feed the community.” She believes it is the caretaking abilities of women that make them successful in agriculture.

Koketso’s advice for other women working in agriculture, especially working mothers, are to give themselves some leeway. “You need to be patient with yourself.”