…Mcebo Simelane says discipline, diversification and market driven agriculture are the future of farming in Eswatini
BY: PHESHEYA KUNENE | EDITOR
HLATHIKHULU – While many young people chase office jobs and city life, Mcebo Simelane is chasing markets, margins and harvest yields.
Armed with irrigation pipes, supermarket contracts and a sharp business mindset, the SheFarms founder is turning agriculture into serious commerce, proving that in modern Eswatini, a cabbage patch can compete with a corporate office.
As founder and director of SheFarms, Simelane has emerged as one of Eswatini’s rising agribusiness voices, blending academic research, corporate discipline and practical farming into a business model built on diversification, sustainability and market access.
Her produce supplies major retailers including Pick n Pay, Shoprite and SPAR, while her growing influence in youth mentorship and commercial agriculture continues to attract attention across the sector.
For Simelane, farming stopped being a subsistence activity the moment she understood the economics behind it.
“Growing up in Hlathikhulu, I saw families with land and labour but still struggling financially,” she said.
“The turning point came when I realised the difference between farmgate prices and retail prices. After supplying vegetables to a supermarket for the first time and seeing the margins involved, I understood that agriculture could operate as a serious business.”
That shift in thinking now sits at the centre of her philosophy.
At SheFarms, agriculture is treated less like traditional farming and more like a structured enterprise, driven by operational systems, financial discipline and market intelligence.
Her academic background shaped her research driven approach to production, while years in corporate spaces taught her the importance of systems, cash flow management and measurable performance.
“As farmers, we cannot operate on assumptions,” she said.
“You need systems, data, planning and proper financial management. Farming is not just about production anymore. It is about understanding the full value chain.”
That philosophy has become increasingly relevant as Eswatini’s agricultural sector faces mounting pressure from climate shocks, rising production costs, import competition and changing consumer demands.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, agriculture contributes significantly to rural livelihoods and national food systems, yet the sector continues to battle low productivity, limited irrigation coverage and high dependence on imports for certain commodities.
For Simelane, survival in such an environment depends on diversification.
SheFarms combines vegetable production with piggery operations, creating what she describes as a circular farming model where each enterprise supports the other.
If vegetable prices decline, piggery revenue cushions the business. Crop residues are recycled into livestock feed, while manure is returned to the soil to improve fertility and reduce input costs.
“Diversification is our safety net,” she explained.
“If one enterprise struggles, another stabilises the operation. That reduces risk and improves sustainability.”
The model also reflects a broader shift taking place within commercial agriculture across Southern Africa, where integrated farming systems are increasingly being adopted to improve resilience against volatile weather patterns and unpredictable markets.
Climate change remains one of the biggest threats confronting farmers across the region.
Erratic rainfall, droughts and pest outbreaks continue to disrupt production cycles and squeeze already thin profit margins.
At SheFarms, climate adaptation is built into daily operations.
The farm uses irrigation systems, mulching and rainwater harvesting to conserve water, while minimum tillage practices help preserve soil structure and moisture retention.
Drought tolerant crop varieties, staggered planting schedules and integrated pest management systems are also used to reduce production risks.
“These changing weather conditions force farmers to become more strategic,” said Simelane.
“You cannot rely on old methods and expect different results.”
She is equally vocal about the need for agricultural insurance, an area still underutilised by many farmers despite growing climate related risks.
“A single hailstorm or disease outbreak can wipe out an entire season,” she warned.
“Insurance should not be viewed as an unnecessary cost. It is protection for business continuity.”
Beyond production, Simelane believes Eswatini’s farmers must urgently reposition themselves to compete in regional and continental markets under the African Continental Free Trade Area.
“The opportunity is there, but farmers need to focus on quality, consistency and compliance,” she said.
She argues that export success will depend on farmer organisation, internationally recognised certifications and investment in value addition rather than raw commodity exports.
“Eswatini must build a reputation for clean, traceable and ethical produce,” she said.
“The strongest margins are no longer in raw products. They are in processing, branding and packaging.”
Her concerns mirror wider conversations within the agricultural sector, where experts continue to warn that many emerging farmers remain locked out of higher value markets due to weak standards compliance, inconsistent supply volumes and limited business systems.
Simelane believes one of the biggest mistakes emerging farmers make is producing without understanding the market.
“Many people grow crops because they are easy to produce, not because there is demand,” she said.
“You must first understand who will buy, what they want and what standards they expect.”
She also cautioned against poor financial management, saying many farmers fail to separate household spending from farm operations, making it difficult to measure profitability or access financing.
“Without proper records, you cannot prove that your business is viable,” she said.
Equally concerning, she added, is the tendency among some farmers to expand too quickly without strengthening internal systems first.
“Scale systems before scaling land,” she said.
Despite the challenges, Simelane remains optimistic about agriculture’s future, particularly its ability to absorb unemployed youth and create sustainable livelihoods.
She continues to mentor aspiring farmers, encouraging young people to view agriculture through the lens of entrepreneurship rather than survival.
“The mindset must change from farming to agribusiness,” she said.
“Young people must see opportunities beyond production, in logistics, branding, technology, processing and marketing.”
At a time when youth unemployment remains a growing concern across Eswatini, voices like hers are increasingly shaping a new narrative around farming, one driven less by hardship and more by innovation, enterprise and commercial ambition.
For Simelane, the mission goes beyond profit margins.
“What makes SheFarms different is that we farm with purpose,” she said.
“My goal is to leave a legacy of empowerment, food security and opportunity for others.”
