PRODUSENTFOKUS
Wilson Giel
Swaps construction boots for farming gear
Wilson Giel is a developing farmer success story. Fresh on the heels of his impressive
wheat harvest, Scenario visited him on his farm AfgriFarmer, Harstwater, Phokwane
municipality to talk to him about the growing pains, challenges and wins that he has
experienced on the journey to farming success. A civil engineer by profession, he
decided to give that up to pursue his farming passion.
Kefiloe Manthata
Senwes Journalist
Venturing into farming
Wilson Giel was born on a farm. His
parents were farmworkers and he
used to watch them working in the
fields throughout his childhood. Wilson
is a beneficiary of the government’s
farm leasing programme. His passion
for farming grew from the fact that
farming is all he has ever known and
understood. Through all other employment
opportunities he has ventured into, he has
always known that his love for farming
was the thing he wanted to explore the
most. “Even when I was working as a
civil engineer at construction sites, I was
always focused on making the most of
my farming business. I farmed on the
side while working until eventually I had
the courage to take the leap.” Wilson
eventually solely made the decision to
concentrate on his farming in 2016.
Senwes
It is through Senwes Agricultural Services
Manager Julias Ramohlabi that Mokhatlha
came to know about and eventually
developed a relationship with Senwes. He
marvels at the change being a Senwes
client has done for his business. He
believes he would not have planted on
as much land before Senwes “adopted”
him. He met Julias through agriculture
caucuses that were hosted by the
Department of Agriculture, engaging
farmers and different stakeholders in the
agricultural sector. There he witnessed
Julias make presentations about
the services that Senwes offers and
expressed his interest. Since then, he has
been paired with a mentor who he says
has played an advisory role in helping him
realise many things that he did not know.
He trusts that their relationship will prove
fruitful as he now has someone to guide
him through the challenges that he faces
in his business operations.
Challenges
Wilson talks at length about the many
challenges that come with being a young
farmer. He notes that this is a business
that requires a lot of discipline, He urges
other upcoming farmers like him, who
are young and impressionable, to make
sure early on that they get their focus
right before all else. “there are so many
distractions that can veer you off track
when you are a young person in business.
There is so much in life that seems more
fun and much easier to do, when you
pursue farming. You have to be willing
to put all that on the back burner and
give your business everything. That is
the only way you succeed.” He mentions
financial struggles as another factor that
hinders success of many developing
farmers. There is a very real struggle to
attain mechanisation equipment amongst
developing farmers and that ends up in
many losses for them in their business.
Future
Wilson says that his relationship with
Senwes has breathed new life into his
business. He believes that through his
relationship with Julias Ramohlabi, his
business will grow to new heights and
surpass his current successes.
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SENWES SCENARIO | WINTER 2020