 What about BZN Group, your enterprise, what is it that you're farming and how many hectares are you farming on? Okay, BZN Group, it's our group business that I started around 2018. Welcome to the Farming Podcast. My name is Mbali Nwaka and thank you so much for supporting the Farming Podcast right here on the Private Property Channel. Today is episode 127 and we're shining the spotlight on youth in agriculture. We're engaging with youth in agriculture and it's always great to speak to another young farmer within the agri sector and I'm glad that this time around it's a maize farmer. We don't really get a lot of maize farmers that we've interacted on to the show, especially in rural areas, particularly this maize farmer is from the Eastern Cape which is well known for its arable land, its vast landscapes and has a high and huge potential for agricultural production, but not a lot of youth are farming within the Eastern Cape and not a lot of agri activity is happening in the Eastern Cape because of so many other infrastructural and economical challenges. But let's hear how this young farmer is really finding his foot within the agricultural landscape and he's been farming since 2018. So four years in the game and it seems like he's just growing because he's farming quite a number of hectares within his farm and has more space to obviously cultivate his lands and I believe that he is a young person that has big dreams. However, let me not get too much into it but I really want you to hear his story and hear his journey and how he got to where he is today. So if you have any questions for our guest peers feel free to comment, like, share and obviously subscribe to our private property YouTube channel. And yeah, let's welcome Ubuntu Zengetua from B Zeng Group. He's a young farmer based in the Eastern Cape and let's engage with him today. Ubuntu, thank you so much for joining the show. How are you doing? I'm good. I can't complain on your side. I'm doing good. Thank you. I see you're sitting in the car. Are you out in the fields? How's the rain been treating you for the past couple of weeks? Look, sometimes we say the rain is a blessing but this season the rain has been, I don't know what to call it, has been beyond just a blessing. It has been a challenge to us, trouble, that's all I can say. But weather is weather. Nature is nature but yeah, we just have to work with what we have. Yeah, because a lot of farmers have been experiencing quite a heavy rainfalls between November and December in the early parts of January. How do you overcome such challenges as a maize farmer within the Eastern Cape? Okay, basically the biggest challenge with having heavy rains is that you cannot really cultivate the land when it rains. And what happens that because we know that maize has got a period of time that you can plant it. Basically in Eastern Cape, you cannot plant maize beyond 15 December around that period because you are late once you go beyond 15 December. So with all this heavy rain and so on, we just had to take a chance as farmers and plant in between the rains. And most farmers that I know, they had trouble of not even planting at all. So that's basically what happened with this rain because just be more than a blessing. We want rain, yes. But now with this heavy rain, it was just getting the fields wet. And also with whatever we had planted at that time, for example, I also plant vegetable. Three-quarter of my vegetable was gone due to rain. We couldn't do any cultivation in time and so on. But it's part of being a farmer. Anything can happen. And we just had to work around it and just not lose hope. Yeah, definitely correct because we have to overcome a lot of challenges. And I think too much of a good thing becomes a problem. And so too much of rain definitely becomes a problem. But tell us about BZN Group, your enterprise. What is it that you're farming and how many hectares are you farming on? Okay, BZN Group, it's an out-crop business that I started around 20 years ago. This is the time when I resigned from my engineering work and then I decided to go and relocate back to Eastern Cape, my home province. So as we all know that we leave Eastern Cape to go and find professional works at Hauteng, these big provinces. So when you relocate back to Eastern Cape, you need to know what can you have in mind and everything. And so because I come from a farming background, a farming family, then I decided to myself, you know what, I know what farming takes. I grew up around farming business and I do have support and mentorship if I need it. So when I went back to Eastern Cape, that's when I decided to know what, let me just go into farming. Some people say you must have passion about something. You don't really need to have passion about something to do it. You just need to have the support and the mentorship, which is one of the things that I got. And then I went back to Eastern Cape and then I started doing my agri-business, which is BZN Group. So basically what we specialize in is maize as you mentioned. And also we also do vegetable because maize is a seasonal crop. And so vegetable, it's one of those crops that can be planted all season. So it does kind of keep the cash flow moving. And then maize is one of the crop that we specialize in because we can utilize a large hectare. And because our land is a non-irrigated land, so it makes it more preferable to go from this at a high maize plantation. So yeah. Thank you. And so you said maize is what you're farming as well as crop. Let's go into the maize. Is it white maize or yellow maize? And how is the market around maize farming in Eastern Cape? Do you find agricultural corporations looking to buy maize from young farmers like yourself? Just tell us more also about just the market opportunities within the Eastern Cape province, specifically where you are around maize farming. Okay. Look, there are different, there are a lot of challenges when it comes to maize, especially if you're a young person like me with a kind of predetermined history. Because what happens is that, yes, I do plant maize and the maize that we plant is white maize. We do plant maize, we plant it at a high capacity. I think we cannot go even 50 hectares and so on. And then during harvest, we have to get rid of this maize. And what happened, during that harvest system, you find that maize prices is a bit low. And we do not have the ability to store this maize and then sell it at the later stage where maize prices are high. So those are one of the challenges that we have. We do not have silos. They call it silos where we can store grain or let me call it maize. And then when prices start to go up and then we can sell this maize and then we get a high revenue. So those are the challenges that we have with farming maize that we have to farm it. And during that harvest period, we have to sell it at a low price because during harvest, everyone is just selling maize maize. So the prices are not determined by us farmers, but they're determined by demand and supply. And then you find that the prices of maize, they drop. So to some point, you can even make a loss out of it. If let's say everyone in the country is just supplying a maize. So that is one of the challenges that we have. We do not have the capacity that other commercial farmers or the farmers, the farming industry that has been, for example, free state. I mean, free state, those farmers have been in the industry for long. They've got all the infrastructure and everything. So if they, if for example, they do their harvest, they can store it until the season of harvest is passed and then maize prices, they go up, then they start selling. We do not have that capacity. We do not have that advantages. So that's one of the challenges that we have to a point where now it also affects the revenue of the agribusiness and so on. And we do not become competitive to these other world established agriculture businesses and so on because of these troubles. Yeah, I understand. So give us an idea. So when you're saying that, you know, by the time you harvest the maize prices are low, what is low in this instance? And for example, what's the price that you would get for maize when you harvest versus the price that you would get had you had a silo or some place to store and sell at a high price? So like, how do those prices compare? And also, how are you staying alive, especially from a farming production, considering the fact that fertilizer and fuel prices have drastically and are still increasing month after month? Okay, basically, just to explain the price influence. So what will happen around about June harvesting around about June, July? So what will happen during that time? A 40 kg bag of maize would go down to 100 grams, for example. And then what will happen? Okay, everyone is going to be selling, for example, we sell locally, we sell to local wholesalers and so on. And then down the line come October, September, or October, November. And then we'll find the same 40 kg bag can go up to 200 grand, even 250 grand. So those two have stored in this. So you can see now the prices even went more than 50% of the price during harvest. So those who are able to store their maize, they're able to generate more profit margin or better revenue compared to us who are unable to store the maize. And we have to get rid of it as soon as possible at that 100 grand per 40 kg bag, to those who sell on November, December, and so forth. Because around December, no one is harvesting maize. So there's demand for maize, but lower supply. So which means it increases the price. So those are the margin difference that depends. And then again, another thing that you have mentioned, which is really plays an influence in agriculture, it's fuel prices. During these times of planting and so on, prices, they go up. During festivities, we all know that prices, they just go up. And even during this year, the unfortunate thing was, there's also what's happening in Russia affecting prices, fuel prices also affecting us. That you'll find that you used to buy, now we have to, in order to buy a thousand liter of a bulk of diesel, the prices double and it makes farming costly. And then at the same time, when you sell this bag to your wholesaler, you cannot increase your price because now the wholesaler is going to be like, okay, I've got choice. I can go to whoever during that period of harvest. Whereas if it's December, they don't have no choice. They will take the event for 200 grand or 250. So that's another thing that influences, plays a big role. And then how do we keep alive? As I mentioned, one of the crops that we do is also vegetable. So vegetable keeps that cash flow. Because remember Maze, you planted around October, November, December, then you wait until it gets ready and around about June, July, that's when you harvest, that's when you realize your revenue comes in. And then again, you wait again. And then this cost, cost is still going to be there. We have to keep the farm running. We have to pay laborers and so on and so on. But yeah, unfortunately, there are other items that we use around the farm that keeps the business moving. Fantastic. And who are your partners, Wunder, within BZN Group, that ensure that you are able to maximize your yield per hectare and that are assisting you with crop production, understanding just the basics around Maze farming. Like you said, you started in 2018. But did somebody take you through Maze farming and crop production? Did they hold your hand and show you the ropes and how this industry works? Or did you just learn, are you just a self-taught farmer? Over and above that, who are the partners that have just assisted you in starting your farming enterprise to where you are today? Okay. Just to answer that partnership part first, and then I'll be even specific. In Sagra, there's an official from Sagra named by Seabong Gidi, very patient person. So that's one of the two, if I need assistance, if I need to ask how to do 123. And then there's also my father who's also a farmer. So I go to him, ask questions, how to do 123. Why do I do this? Why don't I just jump into farming? Because remember, farming requires a lot of investment. Farming requires a lot of money to get it running. So now for me to just jump into farming and think, yeah, it's going to work and so on, it's to kind of be knowing the risk but not doing the mitigations properly. So that's how I approach these people. So in terms of support and so on, they're not really holding my hands, but they're giving advice on looking if there's weed, weed is becoming a problem. They'll maybe say, try testing your soil. I go and test the soil when I get the results. Maybe they're going to tell me to go to 123 and I'll take it to 123. The results come, analyze the results with their assistance and then they'll advise me if get them. And then another department that I shouldn't forget, government, rural development, look, we always hear negative things about government, but again, I need to also mention this here, that government does have a positive impact sometimes towards us. Yes, infrastructure and so on also affects us, but again, there are other programs that are in place that do have a positive impact on us. So I do also visit their offices or they do visit the farm. And then maybe for example, they were on the farm and then they saw that we've got a weed issue and then they gave advice to maybe we should change the method of how to do weed control and so on. So those are some of the support and mentorship that we get. I can't recall your other question. Yes, so basically I'm glad that you've mentioned those organizations, Sakura, Department of Agriculture, assisting you with things like weed control and understanding how many seeds to put in a hectare, how to grow that enterprise. So yes, I think you did answer it quite well. Tell me about the youth in your area. You're a young person farming for about four years now. Are there any other young individuals farming and how are you as just as a farmer in your own capacity ensuring that you're inspiring young people to farm? And are there any young people within your area that are also farming at the level in which you are farming whether it be maize or crop production? Okay, talking about the youth as a whole in my area, I'll say young people have given up, they've given up. Yes, we talk about land. Yes, we talk about resources. Yes, we talk about support, nothing then so on. But I feel like also as young people, we need to be go-getters. Yes, I grew up in Kala. I left Kala because of job, they were finding jobs. And then I came back to Kala. It was not like everything was given in a silver plate. So when I got here, I started to be a go-getter. How do we get programs from farming and how to join things? How to buy things online? Because that's another issue that when you buy inputs around our retailers or you try to buy something that you're going to use in the farm, it's very expensive compared buying things online, getting to Korea and so on because you understand it's a rural area. So everyone is going to try to make a markup. So young people don't want to go through those challenges. They want to be given everything on the silver plate, not all of them, but some of them, most of them. So that is one of the challenges that as young people are facing is that we want to get everything on the silver plate. To a point where now we find that farmers that exist around, let's talk about Saki season because the municipality which Kala and Elot falls under, farmers that we find under Saki season, which is a rural area, it's old people, people who are above 60, people who are in their retirement ages. And then you find that the young people that you find around here, they're a small number compared to these old people. And when organizations such as NYTA and Rural Development, they make these conferences where they call young people. The only thing you will hear from young people wanting is 350 grand. We want 350 grand. We should also get the grand left and right. So you can actually see that there's no future for us young people. You see, because again, yes, the guy from Saga that I deal with is also a youth, probably almost older youth than me. And you can literally see if young people were more focused, were more co-caterers, we'd be far as young people in Eastern Cape. We wouldn't be seeing so much unemployment. I'm not saying it's a quick solution, but farming, we've got the land. We've got, if you come and drive around Eastern Cape, you've got land in rural areas that are sleeping. I must say, when you call it in Kosa, they're just lying there. They need someone to work on it. And some people, they're going to talk about big tractors. You don't need a big tractor to get your land planted. You don't need a big implement or kind of a lot of mechanization to get a land wet on and make a land variable. So as young people, we are running away from that. And point where even the guys who are on their retirement age, now they're passing on. And now there's that cap where there's no knowledge passed on because as young people, you want to relax at home and have a grantee or expert to work or spy and everything, but you don't want to go and get our hands dirty. So that's the issue with young people. And again, young people shouldn't say that government doesn't have programs to support. There are a lot of programs. Yes, they run to the work as fast as we want them to do. But again, we also need to show interest. Then they're going to start also to wake up and to say, hey, these people are on our heels. We need to start making things move. Oh, wow. That is fantastic, Wundu. And I can just definitely feel the energy and the passion that you have for agriculture. Congratulations for starting BZN Group. Congratulations for farming 50 hectares of maize and adding that with a crop and seeing the need to diversify crops because business has to continue and understanding that these are seasonal crops. And if you are in your downturn, you do need a substitute crop to just add in terms of building your business from a revenue point of view. Thank you so much for coming onto the podcast and sharing your experience, your journey with us, and obviously highlighting the positives that government also does because it's very rare that we always get positive feedback around government. It's always around people just expressing their dissatisfaction. But thank you for sharing your journey in such an honest and open way. And it's great to see that as a young person, you are being supported. And that even though you are being supported, you're not heavily reliant on those structures, but you're using your own innate passion and skill and expertise and trial and error learnings to obviously grow yourself as a farmer. Continue to doing amazing work and continue to inspire young people within your nearby community and within your province. Thank you so much for coming onto the podcast. Thanks very much for the interview. And I hope people are going to take some pointers from this interview. Absolutely. We need to, yeah, as young people, we need to make changes with the next generation that will take this time forward. Absolutely. I couldn't agree more. That was Bundu from BZN Group. He's a young farmer based in the Eastern Cape, farming maize as well as crops. He just shared his journey based on how he quit his job as an engineer, started farming in 2018, and now he's farming yellow, sorry, white maize, I presume, and other crops just to substitute where his maize is off season. So he's growing his enterprise steadily and he also shared his experience around working together with other organizations, partnerships, and shared some insights in terms of how young people can look at opportunities. There are many organizations out there, government agencies, private-owned agencies who really want to support farmers, leaning on to other young extension officers who've got knowledge, who can share some skill and how you can improve yourself as a farmer. If Bundu's story doesn't inspire you, then I don't know what will. However, it just shows the many opportunities that exist in farming, the many different farmers and the types of farmers that we have within South Africa. More so that indeed we do have young farmers who are passionate about the sector. Thank you so much and I hope you found this conversation quite insightful and inspiring because I definitely did. I will see you next time on another episode of the Private Property Farming Podcast. Continue to like, share, and subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow all the other podcast episodes that we have. The next one will be 100 Episode 128, so I'm definitely looking forward to that and please feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions or suggestions for the show. Take care.