Government in partnership with the South African Poultry Farmer’s and Supplier’s Association hosted a virtual Poultry Masterclass Webinar series, an information sharing session on poultry farming and network support available through government agencies and poultry associations on Thursday 6 May 2021
The Masterclass is part of a series that the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) is hosting to promote entrepreneurship as a contributor to economic growth.
Mbali Nketsi who is the founder of the Hen Home based in Zuurbekom a smalll town in Gauteng says they are currently farming 438 chickens which they use to produce eggs
“So our businesses is basically producing eggs for reselling to shops and coffee shops.”
She said that the business is open to people who pass by the house to buy eggs from the farm
Nketsi said they started the business during the time lockdown was starting last year, “during the Covid period when revenue streams for me was down, there was no money.”
During her presentation Nketsi encouraged the youth to use social media in a way that will benefit them
“If the youth is using social media, it can be to your benefit if you’re willing to learn.”
“I remember, I was always on farming twitter and see small scale farmers”
She said she was inspired to see people from other parts doing their own poultry farming or growing crops.
“I love the idea of having a farm because I was raised by parents that are from the rurals, my mom is Xhosa and my dad is Zulu. I remember we would always go eMakhaya (rural areas) in the Eastern Cape or in KZN, I still remember being woken up by a rooster.”
“And growing up in Joburg I was never exposed to that”, she said
Dr Nkhanedzeni Nengovhela of the Department of Agriculture Land Reforms and Rural Development said the poultry industry is the master plan of South Africa “it was signed, in 2019 by the President.”
“Part of the analysis of the master plan was to pick up that South Africa can produce a lot of chicken, there’s a lot of room for more chickens to be produced, we have not been exporting both eggs and meat so there’s still also a big space for us to grow our industry to be able to export to access all these markets.” He said
Nengovhela further said that the poultry industry was one of the most advanced sectors in the world in terms of farming livestock.
South Africans are encouraged to invest in entrepreneurship such as poultry farming.
