When Katiso Nkoanyane graduated with a qualification in Agricultural Management in 2016, he expected to build a career in the farming industry. Instead, like many young South Africans, he found himself unemployed and without access to farmland.
Rather than giving up on his dream, the Soweto resident turned to the only land he had available, his family’s backyard.
In 2023, Nkoanyane launched Green Life Farming in Emndeni, Soweto, transforming just 500 square metres into a productive hydroponic vegetable farm. His story proves that a lack of employment and land does not have to stop determined entrepreneurs from building successful businesses.
Growing vegetables without soil, hydroponics allows him to produce more food in a much smaller space while using significantly less water than traditional farming. The system relies on drip irrigation, continuously recycling water to maximize efficiency.
Nkoanyane says necessity forced him to think differently.
With no farmland of his own and few job opportunities after graduating from the Central University of Technology, he decided to use modern farming techniques to make the most of the limited space available at home.
His passion for agriculture began long before university. As a child, he spent weekends and school holidays helping his father, who leased land for farming. Although he originally wanted to study mechanical engineering because of his love for cars, he eventually chose agriculture and specialized in crop production.
Starting the business required determination rather than large amounts of money. Using savings from internships and short-term jobs, he purchased his first 600 Swiss chard seedlings and received donated fertilizer and second-hand irrigation equipment to get the project off the ground.
Today, Green Life Farming produces vegetables including Swiss chard, tomatoes and cabbage, supplying customers in Emndeni and surrounding communities. To overcome the challenge of entering formal retail markets, Nkoanyane works directly with local traders and street vendors, ensuring fresh produce reaches customers while creating a reliable market for his business.
Despite the progress, he says the biggest obstacle remains the lack of land and funding. His operation is entirely self-funded, and he continues doing freelance agricultural facilitation work to support the business.
Looking ahead, Nkoanyane hopes to secure farmland where he can expand production and establish a training centre to mentor aspiring farmers.
His journey is a powerful reminder that entrepreneurship often begins out of necessity. Faced with unemployment, no farmland and limited resources, Katiso Nkoanyane turned a small Soweto backyard into a productive farming business, showing that innovation and determination can overcome even the toughest obstacles.
