Marrime Farms was established by three brothers George, Bandile and Mncobi Marrime with great support from their mother, Vuyisile Mabuza.

It was inspired by their desire to provide for their families and also the lack of job opportunities in the country. “We then decided to embark on our joint passion which is to be farmers. Funny enough, our surname (Marrime) means to farm, so we believe, we followed in our forefather’s footsteps,” mentioned Bandile.

The brothers believe that the vegetable market in the country is an open opportunity. “Currently, the country imports an estimated E200 million worth of fruit and vegetable produce from neighbouring countries. “Meaning, there was an opportunity to get a piece of the pie of what was being imported. We also started a nursery because we wanted to improve reliability and also help decrease the distance people travel to get seedlings,” mentioned Bandile.

When they started farming, the brothers did not have a market to sell to and they struggled to sell their produce. “We were then fortunate enough to be introduced to ESNAU and FINCLUDE and this is where we were introduced to the market we currently have, which is NAMBoard. We also have our home town, Luve and the Manzini market as alternatives.

“These two organisations have been pivotal in our farming journey and in the growth of our business, of which we strongly recommend farmers to affiliate with them,” he added.

Climate change is a big challenge in Agriculture, perhaps the biggest threat yet. “We have been affected by three hailstorms already in our very few years active. Since then, we have installed a tunnel to help curb hail and heavy rainfall. At least not all your produce is destroyed in the farm in case of a disaster.

“High tunnels can help to some degree but they are not the full answer. However, greenhouses which control weather conditions in them can be helpful with the high temperatures we are currently facing. Since the temperatures are set to the plant’s requirements.

“Nets are also helpful in mitigating excessive heat and sunlight. It creates shade for the plants, which helps in preventing sunburn.  They also protect plants from hail damage.”

Investment in agriculture key to security

A lot of investment needs to be made in agriculture if we are to get anywhere near food security as a country, and we have that potential in Eswatini as we boast a large amount of virgin arable land.  “Because irrigation is important, we use mainly drip irrigation. I believe it is the best form of irrigation because it saves water. Water is delivered directly where it is needed, it is very sustainable, it saves electricity and it can help prevent diseases as well,” said Bandile.

Our advice to aspiring farmers

1. Start - you need to overcome inertia (ability of an object to resist movement). Many people would like to go into farming and end up not starting, maybe because of all that could go wrong but every successful dream needed a start.

2. Be patient - as much as we hear that farming has a lot of money, farming is not a get rich quick scheme.

3. Put in the work - The Bible teaches that you reap what you sow. When you plant the seed, it doesn’t grow on its own. Someone has to water it, what about weeding, what about fertilising not forgetting spraying and harvesting as well.

4. Have a mentor - in farming, you will come across hurdles you haven’t seen before, so it is important to make arrangements you can always pick up the phone and pick someone’s brain on the matter. Also make connections with as many farmers as you can. They will teach you a lot.

5. Save for the next cycle - Don’t use up all the profits. Save up for rainy days. Re-invest back to the business for it to grow. The bigger the investment, the bigger the return.

The Marrime brothers (L-R): Mncobi, Bandile and George inside their nursery. They mention that they started it because they wanted to help decrease the distance people travel to get seedlings in their area. (Pics: Courtesy)

The Marime brother’s tomatoes ready for market delivery.