A love of the land passed down the generations

By Lisa Witepski

Agriculture has always carried a certain amount of risk – but the growing reality of climate change means that small farmers are facing more challenges than ever, and need greater resilience and creativity to overcome them.

Obakopano Trading and Projects, based in Delareyville, North West province, is a case in point. The entity was established by Obakeng Metswamere, for whom farming is a way of life: his father, too, is a farmer, as was his grandfather.

In fact, it was his grandfather who taught him to love the land. “I was driving a tractor by the time I was seven, and my grandfather gave me a heifer when I was nine years old,” he recalls.

From that time, he had no doubts that his future would involve farming. “It brings me so much happiness – I truly enjoy my day-to-day work, especially when it involves hands-on activities like fixing fences, driving the tractor or working with the livestock,” he says.

It’s not surprising, then, that the lecture halls of university held little appeal. Even so, Obakeng agreed to complete a degree in social science, “because my parents were concerned that a career in farming carried too many risks”, returning to his grandfather’s Delareyville farm to start planting as soon as he could.

From the outset, Obakeng gave careful thought to growing the business in a sustainable manner. Although he was fortunate to have access to seed, diesel and machinery like tractors, he worked the land himself so as to save on labour costs and reinvested all profits in the company.

While Obakopano Trading and Projects grew steadily in its early years, between 2017 and 2022, recent changes in climate conditions have taken a toll. “We started off with harvesting sunflowers, later adding beans, which we sell to NWK. I also started using some of the garden areas for vegetables, and bought some livestock. But we haven’t have good rains in recent years, and that’s affected all produce.”

The sunflower crop has taken a particular hit: last year, Obakeng prepared 30ha for planting, and had covered only 10ha when it became clear that the rains would not be sufficient to sustain the crop. He decided not to plant any further, but had to resign himself to incurring a loss on the seed and diesel already used on the crops that he was not able to harvest.

It’s also become more expensive to keep livestock. “Changing weather conditions bring disease, and so we have to treat the animals with supplements and nutrient blocks. This drives up our prices,” he explains.

Although farming is difficult under conditions which have become less predictable, Obakeng is finding ways to manage the risk. For example, he is concentrating more on vegetables, which he sells to local grocers and teachers at schools in his community. “Vegetables are easier to farm than crops. Obviously, nothing is ever completely within your control, but you can find ways to manage harsh conditions: for example, netting provides protection against extreme heat, and you can irrigate if the rains are poor, so you can generally count on a harvest.”

He is also selling more livestock: having started out with just two goats and five sheep, he now has over 40 animals, and sells rams and bucks to cover costs when the need arises, keeping females for breeding purposes.

Obakeng says that he is constantly experimenting with strategies and solutions to help his farm flourish because, he says, it is not only his own family that relies on the produce for income. Obakopano provides employment for up to 50 casual labourers, along with semi-permanent jobs for the farm’s driver and herder.

“That’s why I am looking to diversify: going forward, I would like to introduce cattle to the farm, so that we have multiple income streams. That will make us more resilient,” Obakeng says.

He is confident that, in time, he will find a way to overcome all challenges. “It looks as though we can count on better rains this season. And more than anything, farming is in my blood – I will find a way to make it work”