A group of people in the farming village of Friemersheim in Mossel Bay, Western Cape, seeks to motivate unemployed women and youth to establish jobs for themselves in order to alleviate poverty in their respective communities.
The success of the Free Heim Egg Layer farm demonstrates how South Africans can overcome obstacles by working together.
The Free Heim Egg Layer farm is a cooperative, according to co-manager Dorothy Joseph, comprised of three women, a young person with a disability, and two men.
“In 2003, we developed a farm that specializes in egg production. We began with 200 layers and now have 3,100 layers,” Joseph explains.
The farm currently produces and sells 250 dozen eggs each day to local restaurants, spaza shops, and a wildlife reserve.
While the farm was still in its infancy, the Western Cape Department of Agriculture granted it R50,000 to purchase agricultural inputs. The department allocated R1.2 million during the 2020/21 fiscal year for infrastructure and additional agricultural inputs.
Joseph says, “The department also provides us with training and skill development programs to help us improve our business.”
She states that the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform, and Rural Development (DALRRD) also provided R800,000 to the business in 2022 to purchase inputs such as a delivery van, pellet mill for chicken feed, egg grader, and wrapping machines.
Additionally, the farm is a member of the South African Poultry Association (SAPA), which offers information on poultry production, training opportunities, and food safety and security.
In addition to cooperative members, the farm temporarily employs three community members.
Joseph explains that residing in an agricultural community fostered their affection and enthusiasm for animals and farming, which prompted them to become entrepreneurs.
She states, “We want to encourage women and youth to provide for themselves and create more jobs in their communities.”
She claims that farming is a difficult occupation that takes endurance, hard labor, and determination.
You can contact 021 808 5111 or email DOA.Info@westerncape.gov.za to reach the Western Cape Department of Agriculture.
»Community in Western Cape thriving in the egg business«