BY: PHESHEYA KUNENE | EDITOR
MHLAMBANYATSI — At 63, retired civil servant Robert Nhlengetfwa has turned 14 hectares at Lundzi into a lesson in what the country’s maize industry needs most: not necessarily more land, but higher productivity from every hectare already under cultivation.
Two seasons ago, Nhlengetfwa harvested 83 tonnes of maize, generating close to E500,000 in gross earnings. Production fell to 53 tonnes last season amid difficult weather, but he is targeting about 70 tonnes this season and believes another 83-tonne harvest remains within reach.
His farm was among those visited by Ministry of Agriculture Acting Director Nikiwe Dlamini, senior officials and extension officers during a tour of grain producers in Lundzi and Mpuluzi, both under Mhlambanyatsi Inkhundla.
What officials found was more than maize filling grain stores. They found farmers adapting their businesses to an increasingly difficult production environment.
MORE FROM EVERY HECTARE
Nhlengetfwa started farming at 19, initially producing vegetables. After retiring from the civil service, he bought the Lundzi farm and expanded into commercial maize production.
He has since invested in his own tractor, fencing and irrigation infrastructure, while continuing to produce cabbages, potatoes and other crops.
His philosophy is straightforward.
“It is not about how big your land is,” Nhlengetfwa said. “It is about having the knowledge of how to use the land you have and produce more.”
That argument matters nationally.
The National Maize Corporation estimates that the country requires about 140,000 tonnes of maize annually, against average domestic production of roughly 75,000 tonnes. The gap leaves the country dependent on imported maize.
Closing it will therefore require more than bringing additional hectares into production. Existing farmers will also have to raise productivity.
START WITH THE SOIL
For Nhlengetfwa, higher production begins below ground.
He advocates soil sampling, timely lime application and correct fertilisation, coupled with early preparation and close cooperation with extension officers.
Soil testing helps farmers understand nutrient deficiencies and soil acidity before spending money on inputs. Where soils are too acidic, correctly applied agricultural lime can improve soil conditions and nutrient availability.
The principle is important: fertiliser cannot replace knowledge of the soil. Applying expensive inputs without knowing what a field requires can increase costs without delivering the expected yield.
Nhlengetfwa uses SC719 maize seed, which he praises for producing strong, well-filled cobs when accompanied by proper crop management.
His approach was echoed across the farms visited. Extension officers encouraged producers to test their soils, use appropriate inputs and, crucially, apply technical advice in their fields.
WHEN THE WEATHER CHANGES, FARMING MUST CHANGE
The other major lesson from Mhlambanyatsi was water.
Farmers spoke about heatwaves, dry periods, storms and heavy rainfall affecting production. Climate change, for them, is no longer an abstract environmental debate. It is a farming risk with direct consequences for yields and income.
Nhlengetfwa has responded by investing in irrigation.
Nearby, Albert Makhosonkhe Dlamini and his wife, Make Dlamini, are following a similar path. After Albert retired from employment in South Africa, the couple invested in a tractor, fencing, water pipes and farming inputs for their six-hectare maize enterprise.
With Nhlengetfwa acting as a mentor, they have built a dam and irrigation infrastructure and are developing another water source as they prepare to diversify further into vegetables.
Their strategy reflects the practical side of climate-smart agriculture: securing water, improving soil management, diversifying production and reducing dependence on increasingly unpredictable rainfall.
It also demonstrates the value of farmer-to-farmer mentorship.
Make Dlamini credited Nhlengetfwa, Ministry extension officers and EWADE’s Hamba Ubuye initiative for helping accelerate their progress.
SMALL LAND, BIG LESSON
Perhaps the clearest evidence that hectares alone do not determine production comes from Solomon Zwane at Lundzi.
The award-winning farmer says he produces more than 10 tonnes of maize from about 1.5 hectares.
Zwane manages naturally waterlogged land using drainage trenches and combines this with early planting, soil testing, lime, fertilisation, timely weed control and irrigation. He also rotates maize with potatoes and vegetables.
His message is similar to Nhlengetfwa’s: modern farming requires producers to apply knowledge, not merely acquire it.
Crop rotation and diversification can help interrupt some pest and disease cycles, improve management of soil resources and reduce the commercial risk of depending entirely on one crop.
Farmers dealing with naturally waterlogged or environmentally sensitive land should, however, seek technical and environmental guidance before changing drainage systems or expanding cultivation.
THE HARVEST IS ONLY HALF THE JOB
Perhaps the most striking sight at Nhlengetfwa’s Lundzi farm comes after production.
Standing on the property are three grain storage structures, each about 18 metres long, filled with high-quality maize. Extension officers praised the structures during the tour.
As his harvests increased, Nhlengetfwa said he had to continue investing in storage.
That is an often overlooked part of commercial grain farming.
Maize must be properly dried and protected from moisture, pests and deterioration before prolonged storage. Poor post-harvest management can turn a successful crop into financial losses before the grain reaches the buyer.
Nhlengetfwa’s grain stores therefore tell another part of the productivity story: commercialisation does not end at harvesting. It requires drying, storage, transport and reliable markets.
FARMING AS A BUSINESS
There is also something deliberately neat about Nhlengetfwa’s operation.
He believes commercial farmers should keep their farms clean, organised and professionally managed.
The principle extends beyond appearances. Maintaining machinery, preparing inputs, managing storage and planning operations before the planting season can determine whether farmers act within the narrow windows created by rainfall and changing weather.
Owning a tractor has also reduced Nhlengetfwa’s dependence on shared machinery during critical periods such as ploughing and planting.
For farmers who can justify the investment, mechanisation provides one increasingly valuable commodity: time.
When planting conditions are right, waiting days for machinery can mean losing soil moisture and potentially sacrificing yield.
A MODEL WORTH WATCHING
Acting Director Nikiwe Dlamini left Mhlambanyatsi impressed by both the volume of maize stored by farmers and what they were producing from relatively modest pieces of land.
Her message ahead of the next ploughing season was straightforward: prepare early, work closely with extension officers and apply recommended farming practices correctly and on time.
The national challenge remains considerable. No single farmer or community can close the country’s maize deficit.
But Lundzi and Mpuluzi offer a glimpse of what raising domestic production could look like.
It means testing soil before buying fertiliser; applying lime where required; securing water before drought becomes a crisis; rotating and diversifying crops; having machinery ready when the planting window opens; working with extension officers; mentoring emerging farmers; and investing in storage before the harvest arrives.
Nhlengetfwa’s 14 hectares may be small against national maize demand. His 83-tonne harvest and three maize-filled stores nevertheless make a bigger point.
The route to producing more food does not always begin with finding more land. It begins with getting more from every hectare already being farmed.
