Africa-Press – Eswatini. Simphiwe Magongo didn’t grow up with dreams of becoming a farmer. Raised in Mayiwane, he says his early childhood didn’t prepare him for the life he’s living now.
“To be honest, my early days didn’t contribute much to the person I’ve become,” he shares. “I had no exposure to the outside world. My parents provided everything.”
Farming only started making sense when he noticed something different. While working, he saw Mr. Satis Khumalo, a nurse at Mankayane Health Centre, also farming and selling lettuce. That moment stood out. “That’s when I realised life requires multiple streams of income,” he says.
Magongo began farming with 17 cayenne pepper plants beside his home. His first order was delivered to Zimbili Mvubu in Mbabane. That sale confirmed the idea that farming could support his income. Over time, he began cooking his peppers into chilli sauce to increase his earnings.
His small farm didn’t stop at peppers. He also grows beans, which became a big part of his journey. “I learned about beans on a field trip with other farmers. I saw that what they said works, and I tried it.”
While farming grew, his work as an Environmental Health Officer remained his full-time job. Managing both roles hasn’t been easy. “Farming is demanding,” he says. “But if you plan well from the beginning and organise your team, it’s possible, even if you have a full time job.”
He didn’t do it alone. Magongo speaks with gratitude about the people who supported him. The Lukhele family offered him land to farm for free. “They made sure everything ran smoothly. If there was a problem, they would call me,” he says.
He also mentions two local farmers, Mrs. Nestar Ngwenya and Mrs. Todvwa Ginindza, who often checked on his crops when he was at work. “They would call just to ask, ‘How are the beans doing?’ That helped a lot.” One of his strongest supporters was Sifiso Lukhele, whom he describes as a brother. “He made sure everything was in order,” Magongo recalls.
Still, juggling farming and formal employment took a toll. At one point, he had to pause his supply of sweet chilli sauce. “It was hard to balance both,” he admits. “I had to stop supplying large orders and focused only on customers who didn’t give me peace,” he laughs. “Now that work has eased, normal operations for the sauce will start again.”
What keeps him going isn’t just profit, it’s purpose. “I often tell myself I don’t want to be remembered just for my face. I want to leave footprints,” he says.
Those footprints are already visible. More than 95% of the work on his farm is done by young people. He involves them deliberately, to expose them to farming and its value. “I want them to see that you can make a living from the land.”
He also appreciates the support from the National Maize Corporation (NMC) through extension officer Mr. Sibusiso Sibandze, who organised a learning trip for farmers from different regions. “We visited farms, learned from others, and I saw something new about beans. I tried it, and it worked,” he says. “I recorded an audio and shared it with hundreds of farmers. I don’t want to grow alone. I want to grow with everyone.”
To young people who are discouraged or idle, his message is firm. “Joshua Maponga once said, ‘Don’t marry any of my daughters if your land is not pregnant.’ Likewise, don’t just sit at home. Whether you’re educated or not, make the land pregnant so it can make you money.”
Magongo encourages youth to ask for land from elders and seek help from local agricultural officers and community leaders. “There are funding opportunities,” he says. “Speak up, get your soil tested, and start something.”
Mr. Magongo’s story is one of action, planning, and persistence. By refusing to rely on one income, and by using the land to teach, feed, and inspire, he continues to build a future rooted in both purpose and production.
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