From a Backyard Garden to an Agribusiness: Lydia Selepe of Mohau le Molebogeng Farming

In Papegai Village, Limpopo, a backyard vegetable garden planted in 2010 has grown into an inspiring agricultural story. Ms. Lydia Selepe, founder of Mohau le Molebogeng Farming (Pty) Ltd, began with a small plot and an NQF Level 4 qualification in Management. Today she runs a growing farming and agro-processing enterprise that supplies fresh produce to Boxer, City Deep Market, Goseame Fruit and Vegetables, SPAR City Centre, local communities and street vendors.

Her journey has been marked by recognition and resilience. She was named Best Young Entrepreneur in the Subsistence Farmer category in the Capricorn District in 2013. In 2014 she travelled to Beijing, China, for a development programme on poverty alleviation and sustainable community development. That same year she won the Best Junior LandCare Award, registered her company and was allocated 10 hectares of land by the Ba Moshate Traditional Authority. In 2015, the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform supported the business with a tractor, an equipped borehole and employment opportunities.

When COVID-19 lockdowns cut off her market for four hectares of chillies, Lydia turned the setback into an opportunity by processing the harvest into chilli sauce. In 2021 she began taking agro-processing training to churches and communities, teaching people to make value-added food products and start their own businesses.

In this Farmers Mag interview, Lydia talks about what drove her from backyard garden to agribusiness, how she has kept growing through hardship, and what she hopes to achieve for rural development, food security and economic empowerment.

1. You started your farming journey with a backyard vegetable garden in 2010. What motivated you to transform that small backyard garden into Mohau le Molebogeng Farming, and what were some of the biggest challenges you faced during the early stages of building the business?

I started farming because I wanted to improve food security for my family and create a better future through agriculture. I believed farming could become a sustainable business while creating jobs in my community. In the beginning, I faced challenges including limited funding, equipment, water shortages and market access, but I remained committed and expanded the business.

2. Your NQF Level 4 qualification in Management is mentioned as a key factor. How did this qualification specifically contribute to the successful expansion and management of Mohau le Molebogeng Farming?

My NQF Level 4 in Management equipped me with skills in planning, financial management, record keeping, customer service and leadership, helping me grow the business professionally.

3. In 2013, you were recognised as the Best Young Entrepreneur in the Subsistence Farmer category. What aspects of your work do you believe led to this recognition, and how did it impact your business?

The award recognised my hard work, innovation and commitment to agriculture. It increased confidence in my business and motivated me to expand.

4. Your participation in a development programme in Beijing, China, in 2014 focused on poverty alleviation and sustainable community development. How did the knowledge gained from this experience influence the strategies and operations of Mohau le Molebogeng Farming?

The programme inspired me to use agriculture for poverty reduction through value addition, technology and community empowerment.

5. Receiving the Best Junior LandCare Award and the allocation of 10 hectares of agricultural land in 2014 were significant milestones. How did these achievements contribute to the growth and stability of your enterprise?

They allowed me to expand production, create jobs and strengthen the sustainability of the business.

6. Mohau le Molebogeng Farming supplies fresh vegetables to various markets, including Boxer, City Deep Market, and SPAR City Centre. What strategies do you employ to ensure consistent supply and maintain quality for such diverse clients?

We use production planning, good agricultural practices, quality control and strong customer relationships.

7. In 2015, the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform supported your business with a tractor, employment opportunities and a borehole. How crucial was this support for your operations, and what impact did it have on your productivity and community involvement?

The tractor, borehole and employment support improved efficiency, increased production and created local jobs.

8. During the COVID-19 pandemic, you pivoted from chilli production to processing chillies into chilli sauce. Can you elaborate on the decision-making process during this challenging time and how you identified this new business opportunity?

Processing reduced waste, extended shelf life and created new business opportunities.

9. The launch of agro-processing training programmes in 2021 aims to teach people how to produce value-added food products. What is the long-term vision behind these programmes, and what kind of impact do you hope to achieve in the communities?

To empower young people and women with agro-processing skills to start businesses and create jobs.

10. Mohau le Molebogeng Farming is committed to rural development, food security and economic empowerment. How do you measure the success of your company beyond financial metrics, particularly in these areas of social impact?

By the number of lives changed through training, job creation, food security and community development.

Lydia Selepe’s story shows what vision, discipline and adaptability can achieve when resources are limited. She began farming to feed her family and build a better future, and she faced funding gaps, water shortages and limited market access along the way. She stayed committed, and a backyard garden became a business that supplies major retailers and markets.

Her answers show how each step built on the last. Management training gave her the tools to plan and run the business, recognition and awards gave her confidence, and the Beijing programme shaped her belief in value addition as a path out of poverty. Government support and the 10 hectares of land gave her the base to grow. When lockdown disrupted her chilli market, processing the harvest into sauce cut waste, extended shelf life and opened a new line of business.

What stands out most is how Lydia measures success. For her it is not profit but lives changed: the jobs created, the food security achieved, and the young people and women trained to start their own ventures. For aspiring farmers and agripreneurs across South Africa and the continent, Mohau le Molebogeng Farming shows that big enterprises can grow from small beginnings.

Farmers Mag thanks Ms. Selepe for sharing her story and wishes her and her team continued growth and success.

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