Farming is spiritual, says award-winning agriculturist

Today, 28-year-old Thato Moagi also advises President Cyril Ramaphosa on land reform

Thato Moagi who has been a farmer for the past five years says farming is a spiritual process.

Thato Moagi is the Managing Director of Legae La Banareng Farms in Modimolle, Limpopo.

Whatever you wear, eat or use has agricultural roots, says 28-year-old award-winning farmer Thato Moagi, the Managing Director of Legae La Banareng Farms in Modimolle, Limpopo.

“We should be thinking of a farmer every time we eat a meal, have a drink or even just wear clothes. When we take a bath or read a book… It’s all about agriculture. (Many of us) have distanced ourselves from agriculture because we no longer plant our own food, and don’t see things grow.”

Moagi was born and raised in Johannesburg as the second eldest of five children. As far as she can remember, both her parents have always been self-employed. “My parents are entrepreneurs in their own right. My dad has been independent from a young age, and was doing business from when he was in primary school selling sweets at school. He put himself through university and now has an MBA and a company called CFSD, which has been in the transformation sector for the past 15 years.”

As for her mother, Moagi adds that she used to have her own hair salon, but is now part of the family’s farming business. “Growing up my mom had a beautiful hair salon in Bank City, Johannesburg. She later went into events management and now is the facilities manager at Legae La Banareng Farms.”

Moagi could never imagine working in agriculture, but acknowledges her parents’ influence, which helped her become such an influential farmer. “My love for nature was reinforced by my parents from a young age and they supplemented my interest in nature and science by exposing us to it. They took us to rural spaces. They got us to understand who we are and where we come from.”

SHE ENCOURAGES PARENTS TO CULTIVATE A LOVE FOR AGRICULTURE WITHIN THEIR CHILDREN AS THEY ARE THE NATION’S FUTURE FARMERS.

“It is not easy to break into this sector, which why it isn’t attractive to young people, but I encourage parents and future parents to nurture the passion of young people towards nature. It is those (our future generations) who will carry the yoke to feed people.”

Moagi is the first South African to receive the acclaimed Nuffield Agricultural Scholarship.

By Chantélle Hartebeest

Source ://www.foodformzansi.co.za