Young people often shun farming in preference for office jobs. Such was Terence Maphosa’s dream to land a white-collar job in the city after college life.
One and half years later after graduating with a degree in Political Science from the University of Zimbabwe, his dream could not materialize.
Eventually, he had to retreat back to his rural home in Mhondoro-Ngezi, about 170km from Harare where he started a farming enterprise rearing free-range chickens popularly known as roadrunners.
Maphosa specialises in breeds such as Black Australorp, Koekoek, Light Sussex, Kuroiler, and Jersey Giants. To cut on feed costs, Maphosa has a thriving crop that includes maize, corn, sorghum, and sunflowers.
Promoting his business online has paid off as he now commands a sizeable following on social media platforms. Most of his followers are largely inspired by his humble beginnings and down to earth methods of farming.
His active engagement on Twitter shows how accessible some rural areas in Zimbabwe are connected to the digital world. Social media has presented opportunities for farmers, especially those in rural areas, to easily connect with buyers.
Maphosa’s story shows that one can still make it in the rural areas whilst utilizing the available resources. One of the greatest excuses people often cite for not starting a business enterprise is lack of capital.
Terrence decided to defy the odds, earning him a lot of admiration from locals and those abroad.
Posts on his Twitter account provide a glimpse of his day to day life. From working on his poultry project, tilling the land using ox-drawn ploughs, fishing expeditions, and enjoying his traditional meals.
Such experiences bring a lot of nostalgia for many and so much inspiration for the youths that rural life is not so backward as often touted.
Maphosa has proved that it’s possible to create your own world in the rural areas and enjoy it too!
Terence Maphosa’s life has attracted the attention of not only social media fanatics but corporate sponsors, government officials, local and foreign media.
Speaking to Xinhua recently, Maphosa appreciated that many youths are now slowly embracing farming as a career.
“A lot of youngsters are now appreciating farming, and slowly we are getting there.
The reason why our generation doesn’t see farming as something lucrative is because of our background. When growing up, we were taught to go to school, to be doctors, to be nurses, to be lawyers, to be engineers, nobody pushed us to be farmers. So apparently, they did not push us to be practical, they pushed us to work those white-collar jobs.
People are now showing the desire and hunger to go into farming, specifically in my field, the roadrunner business.
A lot of youngsters are now appreciating farming, and slowly we are getting there.“
Maphosa’s story is a testimony of how many underutilized rural homes can be converted into viable business empires.
If many people are to adopt their rural homesteads, this will greatly help to reverse rural-urban migration, promote national food security, create employment and sustain livelihoods.
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